Teachers’ union calls on L.A. Unified to close schools due to coronavirus; board to hold emergency meeting

Assistant Plant Manager Tracy Westfield cleans John Burroughs Middle School in Hancock Park on March 10, 2020. (Credit: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times )

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Mar 12, 2020 / 05:54 PM PDT

Updated: Mar 12, 2020 / 11:22 PM PDT

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The L.A. teachers union is calling on the nation’s second-largest school district to close all its schools as quickly as possible to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

The Los Angeles Unified School Board is scheduled to meet Friday morning in emergency session for a status report from L.A. Unified Supt. Austin Beutner.

Based on the experience of other countries, a “proactive approach” is necessary, said Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles.

The school system has resisted shutting down campuses so far but is preparing for that step. No case of the virus has been linked to an L.A. public school at this time.

The LAUSD Board will meet for an emergency closed session tomorrow morning at 7am to discuss our evolving efforts to respond to the novel coronavirus outbreak in LA County.
— Nick Melvoin (@nickmelvoin) March 13, 2020