Los Angeles Unified Must Negotiate With Teachers’ Union Before Dropping Mask Mandate

Authored by Micaela Ricaforte via The Epoch Times,

Though California and Los Angeles County announced it would drop its indoor mask mandate for schools by March 12, the LA Unified School District (LAUSD) must negotiate with its local teachers union before it can lift its mandate.

In recent months, schools across California have faced mounting pressure to lift indoor mask mandates from students and parents; however, the state’s largest school district cannot change its indoor mask requirement without first negotiating an existing contract with United Teachers of LA (UTLA).

The agreement includes a requirement for “enforced masking” for the entire 2021–22 school year.

According to the agreement, either party can request to meet and bargain over potential changes to the mask requirement after Dec. 1.

An LAUSD spokesperson told The Epoch Times Feb. 28 the district “acknowledges” the state and county’s mask updates and will “remain engaged with our labor partners” as they consider an updated masking policy.

LAUSD Board of Education President Kelly Gonez said Feb. 28 any changes to the masking policy must be discussed with UTLA.

“Any changes in our policy on masking would be taken only in consultation with our labor partners,” Gonez told the LA Daily News.

“We remain committed to ensuring a safe learning and working environment.”

However, a UTLA spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the LAUSD has not reached out about mask negotiations as of March 1.

Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

In addition to negotiating with labor unions, Gonez said the district must review local COVID-19 case rates.

“Los Angeles has fortunately seen a decline in COVID rates after the record-setting Omicron rates, but there is still significant spread in our communities. We need to take this local context into account,” Gonez said.

The district had a 2.1 percent positive case rate among students, and a 1.7 percent case rate for teachers and staff, according to an LAUSD report on Feb. 11.

UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz said in a Feb. 28 statement that “While declining COVID rates are promising, educators agree with Governor Newsom’s statement strongly recommending that masking stay in place in schools.”

“LAUSD schools have been the safest and most well equipped in the country because educators and families united to demand critical health and safety protocols,” Myart-Cruz said.

“These protocols, like indoor masking, have protected tens of thousands of educators and more than half a million students, along with their families. It is premature to discuss removing these health and safety measures while there are still many unvaccinated youth in our early education programs and schools.”

Some LAUSD parents expressed frustration that their children must remain masked despite the state and county’s updated policies.

LAUSD parent Sarah Peterson told The Epoch Times she thought the situation revealed elected officials’ true priorities.

“COVID laid clear the real priorities and agenda of our elected public officials and unelected bureaucrats—lobbying money and personal power above children.” Peterson said.

“Parents will never forget—never.”

A child wears a face mask as they attend an online class at a learning hub inside the Crenshaw Family YMCA during the Covid-19 pandemic in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 17, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Kristina Irwin, who has three children in the LAUSD, told the Epoch Times she thought the LAUSD should follow the recommendations of the state and the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC).

“[District officials] should side with the CDC and all the other school districts if this is truly about following the science,” Irwin said. “If you rely on the science set … on implementing the mask mandates, then you need to do the same to lift them, otherwise this is just about making up the rules as you go.”

Other parents argued masks inhibit student learning and social engagement.

“It is the natural state of children to show their faces and see faces—smiling and giggling with friends is how many children communicate and build bonds,” said another mom of two LAUSD students, who declined to provide her name.

“Masks have hampered socializations and learning for far longer than justifiable.”

The mom went on to say that “vaccinations are highly effective at protecting adults as well as children that are at risk of severe symptoms, and kids are safer than congresspeople that will convene tonight unmasked.”

The LAUSD will enforce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students over 12 beginning in the fall.

A spokesperson for UTLA did not respond to a request for comment by press deadline.