LA Unified School District teams can begin conditioning Monday
One of the last school districts that is still shut down made an encouraging announcement this week. Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Beutner announced that the district’s schools can begin voluntary on campus conditioning workouts if they fulfill…
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Continue ReadingOne of the last school districts that is still shut down made an encouraging announcement this week.
Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Beutner announced that the district’s schools can begin voluntary on campus conditioning workouts if they fulfill the heath requirements needed.
The problem is that many of the schools are not prepared to meet the requirements set by the health department.
Among the requirements for students and coaches is the need to take a COVID-19 test at least three days before being allowed on campus. Students also need to complete a physical exam and have their parents sign a waiver form. On Tuesday, it was announced that the students will need a weekly COVID-19 test to participate.
Every day I talk to an LAUSD student athlete, I'm inspired. They keep grinding away trying to find ways to succeed with little support and so many disadvantages. But they won't give up. They won't let COVID-19 win. They won't let skeptics deter them. They're tough.
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) November 10, 2020
While the news is encouraging for the county’s athletes, the chances of the teams, particularly in the City Section, being allowed to start official practices on Dec. 14 are still unlikely.
“I’m not the final arbitrator,” Beutner said in an interview with Eric Sondheimer of the LA Times. “Los Angeles County is far away from meeting state standards for opening schools. While we are unable to open schools — and they’re not likely to open this semester — if they can’t be in the classroom, it’s hard to believe how they can be competing in competitive sports. It’s a health and safety thing. If you can’t have 12 kids in a classroom safely, how can you have 12 guys on the court?”
Since Los Angeles County is still in the purple Tier 1, which indicates the widespread transmission of the virus, games will likely not be allowed to occur until the county’s transmission status is improved.
Taft High in Woodland Hills was immediately prepared to return to the practice field and did so on Monday. Taft had 21 players participate in conditioning drills Monday with Beutner in attendance.
The school had players fill out a Google document at least one hour before arrival on campus answering health questions on Monday. Their temperatures were taken and they were grouped in pods of 12 or less while participating in physical distancing.
According to Venice football coach Angelo Gasca, one of the school’s players is not participating after his parent declined to sign a COVID-19 waiver form. There is a chance that this could be a trend that will effect participation at many schools in the area.
The California Interscholastic Federation is still preparing for practices to start on Dec. 14 and games to start in early January as planned.
“Until we receive guidance from the governor’s office or the California Department of Public Health that we’re not allowed to begin as scheduled, our plan is to be starting in December,” Ron Nocetti, the executive director of CIF said Monday.