(Inset): Tony Thurmond, California Superintendent of Public Instruction

As students return to school, there is a salad full of emotions running through their minds. Ingredients include excitement, doubt, fear, with a hint of freedom. As we hear more and more about schools being impacted by COVID-19, families are becoming more and more frantic about sending their kids back to school. The California Superintendent of Public Instruction assures that schools are taking the proper steps to provide a quality and equitable education to all students.

Almost 2 years of this ongoing pandemic have passed, and we finally see some sense of return to normal. With the ongoing pandemic and new variants causing increased infections, in-person learning is being reconsidered by many families and experts. Tony Thurmond, California Superintendent of Public Instruction assures that schools are giving their due diligence in providing a safe and inviting experience for students.

Following a ‘Swiss cheese’ approach, schools have implemented multiple layers of protection to protect kids from a potential infection. Steps include mandating masks for everyone, social distancing, better ventilation, increased sanitization. Extraordinary measures include significant rapid testing and the promotion of vaccines.

Tony Thurmond also highlighted the need for flexible education methods and mental health support. As students and families deal with the loss of loved ones, traumatic experiences, and increased natural disasters, Thurmond and districts are exploring ways to accommodate students.

Virtual learning and independent study programs were one option. This sounds good on paper – avoiding a potential infection, work at your own pace, no need to worry about transportation or getting to school. The reality is many low-income students lack access to proper broadband access – limiting them from accessing virtual education.

Thurmond recognizes that students, especially in low-income families, experienced significant trauma during the height of the pandemic.

“There is more than $4 billion available for mental health services for youth up to age 25, more than $3 billion for community schools to have comprehensive mental health support, and support for families with universal meals.”

Thurmond concludes with two major takeaways. First, Get everyone eligible fully vaccinated. More importantly, help build a better education system by “acknowledging that [the education] system hasn’t done enough for all students…” and we have the opportunity to build a better education system and “ensure equity at the center…”