Parents Sue Fremont Unified School District Over Failure To Reopen Classrooms For In-Person Instruction
FREMONT (CBS SF) -- A group of parents frustrated over closed schools in Fremont have officially filed a lawsuit against the city's school district.
The suit was filed in hopes that it will force Fremont Unified School District leaders to reopen classrooms for in-person instruction before school is out, even if just for a few weeks.
The lawsuit follows through on a threat made in April by parents who say their kids are suffering during the prolonged period of distance learning.
On March 31, the district announced students would continue distance learning for the rest of the 2020-2021 school year after an agreement could not be reached with the teachers union.
"We have roughly 43 school days between now and the end of this instructional year and no definitive final outcome in sight related to reaching an agreement with FUDTA," Superintendent C.J. Cammack said in a letter to school families at the time.
According to Cammack, the key issues pertained to staffing, the grade levels that would be eligible for a full return to campus, and additional compensation for employees to return under a hybrid learning model.
By not reaching an agreement, the superintendent said that the district would miss out on $9 million in additional funding. A deal reached by the legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom offered $6.6 billion in funds to districts across the state if select groups of students resumed in-person learning by March 31.
Cammack said that the district is planning for a full return to in-person instruction in the fall. In the meantime, the district plans to expand existing in-person learning hubs and that schools would create opportunities for students to gather in groups described as "stable and appropriately sized" for social interactions.
For graduating seniors, the superintendent anticipates outdoor in-person graduation ceremonies taking place with some limitations on attendance.