Nine parents filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District and its superintendent, Austin Beutner, on Thursday. The plaintiffs - brought together by two advocacy organizations, Innovate Public Schools and Parent Revolution - allege that the state has violated children's rights to equal public education. 

In the lawsuit, the parents argue that the state "failed miserably" to make literacy available for all students. In kindergarten alone, enrollment has dropped by 10,000 students compared to last year. 

Insufficient Time, Instruction, or Connectivity  

The plaintiffs state that the district is failing to engage their children online at the same rate as other large California school districts. Despite state-mandated class sessions, there are instances of instructors dismissing the students early and not going over class material. 

Many challenges include lack of devices, insufficient instructor training, being unable to access the district's platform, and poor connectivity. One of the parents, Akela Wroten Jr., stated that his daughter fell so behind he's using mobile educational apps and a private tutor. 

Many are concerned about their children's future and how long-distance learning will impact their future. ClearWay Lawyers advises parents and guardians to practice safe social distancing when seeking legal advisory. Contact your representatives via phone, email, live chat, or video call whenever possible. 

Disparity Between LA School Students

Throughout California, the change started with many learning models during the pandemic. While some schools were online-only or hybrid (half in-person, half online), one thing remained consistent: a shortage of Chromebooks, connectivity, and proper instruction among disadvantaged students. 

However, rather than being caused by the pandemic, it's the outcome. Seth Litt, the executive director of Parent Revolution, states that Black and Latino students have been let down by the district long before the pandemic. Litt argues that equipment and more experienced teachers are outsourced to neighborhoods with more white families. 

The suit alleges that Black and Latino students, those learning English, and students with disabilities were disproportionately affected when the school district switched to online learning. While Litt supports closing schools to ensure the safety of the staff and students, he advocates for LAUSD to have the same standard and opportunities as other LA school districts. 

An LAUSD report reflects the allegations: after the district closed campuses and made the transitions in March, over 50,000 Black and Latino middle and high school students didn't regularly participate in classes. Students that are homeless, in ESOL classes, or special needs also had lower online participation. 

Age Groups, ESOL, and Special Needs

On Monday, Superintendent Austin Beutner said that classes from kindergarten to the fifth grade could be easily managed. Younger students can be kept in smaller groups with one teacher throughout the day. High school classes pose more of a risk due to a roaming schedule that involves more than one teacher. 

The LA County Department of Public Health announced that schools would be able to open for in-person classes for children with special needs. The classes will be no more than 10% capacity at a time to follow state and county guidelines for COVID-19. 

The priority will be given to those who are most impacted by the lockdown. It includes children with disabilities or who are learning to speak English. This will allow at least 200,000 children who require special services to go back to school.

Reopening Guidelines for LA School District

County DPH officials stated that schools would not be permitted to reopen for full in-person instruction until at least November. The county will also need to be the red tier for at least two weeks. At the moment, LA County is in the purple tier, which is the most restrictive stage of the COVID-19 code system.  

Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield has requested detailed plans for reopening schools in November. As of now, It is unclear if LAUSD has put together a formal plan for in-person instruction in November.