City Council Looks At Plan To Sue LAUSD To Reopen Schools

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - The Los Angeles City Council is considering its legal options to compel LAUSD schools to reopen for in-person instruction at 25% capacity.

City Councilmember Joe Buscaino introduced a motion Tuesday seconded by Councilmember Gil Cedillo asking City Attorney Mike Feuer to explore all legal options to assist in reopening L.A. Unified schools.

In response to the motion, Feuer issued a statement Tuesday suggesting a lawsuit may not be the most effective strategy.

"We all understand how urgently important it is to reopen our schools, and to do so safely," he said. "The best way to achieve these shared goals is to work together, not as adversaries. I will help in any way I can."

The district has not held in-person classes since March 13, 2020.

Citing recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control along with 1,500 pediatricians from the Southern California Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Buscaino said the city is ready to reopen schools as long as safety protocols are followed.

"Today I ask my colleagues on the Los Angeles City Council to join me and Councilmember Gil Cedillo, on behalf of the nearly 600,000 LAUSD students who have gone nearly a year without classroom learning, to work together with the teachers union, the County, and the State to reopen LAUSD campuses safely," said Buscaino.

LAUSD reopened in-person instruction for the most vulnerable students last fall, but remains closed to all other instruction.

The motion refers to current guidance from the California Department of Public Health and LA County that allows school districts to re-open campuses up to 25% of the student population, to serve "high-need kids", including those with special needs and ESL students.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike
Schools have not been fully open for in-person classes since March
2020. Buscaino announced plans last week to introduce the motion, and on
Tuesday he said that since his announcement, he's ``seen movement in a positive
direction.''