MBUSD Board meeting addresses parental concerns about distance learning

After receiving feedback from parents in the district, MBUSD develops a schedule for phase 1 of the newly approved TK-2 hybrid. Parents have the option to decide whether or not their elementary school students attend in-person school or not. Photo courtesy of mbusd.org

By Lexie Blakeman

News Editor

On Nov. 4, the Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) Board of Trustees held its monthly board meeting where they discussed parental concerns on returning to school.

In reaction to the approval of the TK-2 waiver for all five elementary schools in the district, which will allow the schools to begin hybrid learning, a group of high school parents organized a protest at Costa in hopes of getting the high school to reopen at the same rate as the elementary schools. Other parents had concerns that opening schools now would be a rash, unsafe decision. “I am urging [MBUSD] to consider not rushing to open the schools until January,” MBUSD parent Britton Butler said. “With the holidays approaching, with flu season and an expected surge of social interactions, it is of great importance to not rush starting school reopenings.”

During the public commentary portion of the meeting, parents gave conflicting views on going back to school. With the new TK-2 waiver, parents have the option to decide whether or not their students will be returning to campus. This decision depends on their level of comfort with the preparations and protocols set forth by the county, state and district to ensure that the classroom environment is safe for students.

“Our kids are struggling with distance learning, and they need help before they lose any more knowledge, their love of learning and become more disenfranchised,” MBUSD parent Jori Arancio said.

Superintendent Dr. Mike Matthews assured attendees of the meeting that once he receives all parent requests, he will make the necessary class changes to address the needs of all students, parents and staff in the district. He also promised to provide a start date for the implementation of the TK-2 hybrid phase of returning to school once all necessary preparations are made by the district.

“We are in a strange bubble where we feel like school closures and distance learning are normal because our governor has mandated that they be closed,” MBUSD parent Rudolph Nguyen said. “But this isn’t what is happening in the rest of the developed world.”