Alameda County schools allowed to reopen with safety plans

BERKELEY, Calif. (KRON) - High schools and middle schools across Alameda County have been given the OK to reopen as early as November 9th.

However, at least for public schools, that won't happen for some time.

"Many conditions need to be met to make sure we have the safety protocols in place, and it takes the school districts longer to do that. It takes longer to marshal resources and engage their communities to determine how this will work," said Alameda County superintendent of schools Karen Monroe.

Part of the work that needs to be done is reaching an agreement with individual teachers unions.

"I don't think there is a teacher in the state of California that doesn't want to be back in school," Monroe said.

Dublin Teachers Association President Robbie Kreitz says before walking in the door teachers will need to make the environment will be safe for students and teachers alike.

"Are these rules gonna be enforced? When you are talking about 6-feet apart... do we have 6 feet of space? When talking about PPE or sanitation and ventilation... is all of that in place? I think it's the reality versus what's on paper, and I think that's where we have to get to work," said Kreitz.

There are also issues with logistics and scheduling...

While elementary school students stay with the same teacher all day, middle and high school students typically change classes throughout the day. That will also have to be addressed.

It's conceivable that middle and high schools won't open before the end of the year.

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