Since starting this petition, Richard Carranza, Austin Beutner and Janice Jackson (superintendens of the nation’s three largest school districts, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, respectively) have called for a Marshall Plan to open our schools.  Please read their Op-Ed.

We, the parents of these districts, stand with them. 

Schools must come first, not last.  

Since last March, our children have been out of school. Though the effort of teachers has been valiant, there is no way around the fact that distance learning does not work for all children and all families. 600,000 students in LAUSD alone have been off-campus, creating a true crisis for the entire city of Los Angeles. Parents forced to leave the work force, children in areas with poor internet, siblings learning from one room - the list goes on and on. 

Though we are all eager to return to school when the numbers are controlled, it is a national disgrace that funding for this giant relief effort has not materialized. 

Let us be very clear - with no relief effort, there will be no return to school. With no return to school, our economy can never fully recover. With no return to school, the country is telling us loud and clear what we have come to suspect - our children do not matter in the eyes of the one percent and politicians. 

We, the public school parents of Los Angeles and surrounding districts, stand with Superintendent Austin Beutner's request for a national school relief program. 

This program must address: 

1.  Cleaning and sanitizing schools 
2.  Covid-19 Testing for students and staff at schools 
3. Mental Health support for students 
4. Summer School for all students. 

The additional funds needed are a $125-billion package. This additional funding must be released NOW to ensure our children return to school in the safest possible way. 

PARENTS FOR EVERY CHILD CALIFORNIA