Newport Mesa School Board

The community of parents and students of the Newport Mesa School District have been anxiously awaiting the reopening of our schools with actual in-person instruction starting October 12.

We were all shocked to learn that the Board has called a “snap” meeting to discuss potentially postponing the start date. Given that we are all busy raising our children and working, most of us cannot show up at the meeting today en masse to protest any plan to postpone the October 12th reopening.

The intent of this letter is to show the very strong support from parents in our community for the return to in-person instruction AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

This pandemic has taken a toll on everyone and a multitude of experts have clearly stated that the emotional and mental toll on our teens and children now outweigh any risks posed by the COVID-19 virus. It is completely unacceptable that our District is not prepared to reopen when many other “essential” services have been open for months. Private schools in our community have been open this Fall semester. In-person education is a public right and our District needs to provide this ESSENTIAL public service starting as planned this Monday, October 12th. Our children are entitled to an equal educational opportunity and by not reopening schools, the Board is choosing to deny that right.

The State of California has the most stringent regulations on reopening schools. If the State deems that our community is safe to reopen, which it does, then there should be ABSOLUTELY no excuse for our district to reopen. Our schools have been closed since March so there has been more than enough time to get prepared with a multitude of reopening options. 

Instead of postponing school reopenings, the Board needs to select the best options available and move forward.

Again, calling a snap meeting where no parents can attend is not the proper way to handle such an absolutely critical decision.

Your community is at breaking point. The parents are ready to take stronger action. If the Board does not reopen schools on Monday even though the State allows it, we believe that the Board will be causing injury to our children in the form including but not limited to: mental health, depression, lack of education, and financial hardship. We believe that not reopening schools on Monday can be proven to be a negligent and reckless decision by the Board. 

Please make the correct decision and move forward with the planned reopenings on Monday, October 12.

Parents of children in the Newport Mesa School District

California sees no link between school reopenings and spread of COVID-19

https://abc7.com/6838726/