The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has announced the cancellation of school on Monday due to a tropical storm warning in the Southern California area. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho made the announcement during a live press conference on Sunday afternoon, as heavy rainfall was hitting the region. The safety of students and employees was cited as the primary reason for the decision.
Superintendent Carvalho emphasized the district’s commitment to ensuring the safety of every individual, stating, “There is no way we can compromise the safety of a single child or employee.” The inability to determine access to schools amid the storm made it impossible for the district to open on Monday. However, operations are expected to resume as usual on Tuesday.
LAUSD took to social media to inform students and families about the school closures, urging them not to come to school campuses. The tweet explained that the decision to close all schools, campuses, and after-school programs on Monday was not an easy one. The peak of the storm was expected around midnight, and the district did not have enough time to adequately inspect facilities and prepare transportation networks due to the impending harsh weather conditions.
The district expressed concerns about major safety hazards, including downed power lines, impassable roads, and potential flooding. With these risks in mind, LAUSD prioritized the well-being of students and employees by canceling classes and programs for the day.
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To ensure that students continue their educational activities, teachers were asked to post assignments and resources on the Schoology app by 10:30 a.m. on Monday morning. This way, students can access and complete the provided materials from home. Charters schools within the district were given the freedom to make their own decisions separate from LAUSD and remain open if they choose to do so.
As the second-largest school district in the United States, behind only the New York City Department of Education, LAUSD comprises 784 K-12 schools and serves approximately 429,349 K-12 students as of the 2022-23 school year, according to the district’s website. The cancellation of classes affects a large number of students and families within the district.
The tropical storm warning was issued for Southern California on Friday, coinciding with flash flood warnings as Tropical Storm Hilary made its way into the region, bringing heavy rainfall. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to the severe weather conditions.
In an unrelated event, an earthquake measuring magnitude 5.1 was felt across part of Southern California on Sunday afternoon. Centered four miles southeast of Ojai in Ventura County, the earthquake occurred alongside the heavy rainfall, leading some social media users to humorously refer to the combination of the earthquake and rain as a “hurriquake” or “rainquake” experienced by Southern California residents.
In conclusion, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s decision to cancel school on Monday due to the tropical storm warning prioritizes the safety of students and employees. The district recognizes the potential hazards caused by heavy rainfall, downed power lines, and impassable roads. LAUSD teachers will provide resources for students to continue their education remotely, and charter schools have the option to remain open. The cancellation affects a large number of students within the second-largest school district in the U.S., while the state of emergency declared by Governor Gavin Newsom highlights the severity of the weather conditions. The unexpected earthquake experienced in conjunction with the storm adds a unique element to the situation, prompting the Southern California community to engage in humorous conversations on social media.
