ALEXANDRA KOCH | PIXABAY

The new omnicron variant increased cases after the hoidays.

Despite there being over 29,000 new positive covid cases at a rate of 7.7 percent, LAUSD students continue to host in-person learning. Why isn’t LAUSD shutting down the schools?

It would be best if we went back online until cases lower. As of Jan. 25, Van Nuys High School currently has 157 active covid cases. In the past week, Lausd reported 

Why have we not shut down? LAUSD only cares about the money and not for the students health or safety. 

The new positive test rate is 5.95 percent, a decrease compared to the first week after the holidays, but I still remained very concerned. 

I do not feel safe being on campus, despite being double masked, vaccinated and having my booster shot. I know I shouldn’t be worried, but I can’t help being paranoid about this whole thing. My parents don’t like the idea of me being on campus either.

Many students are not showing up to school because of this surge, even if they tested negative. I have seen comments from parents of LAUSD students saying that they are not sending their child back to school until cases go down, which is very understandable. 

It is impossible to stay six feet apart from each other at all times and classes are still full for the most part. We still have to return to school even if someone in our household is positive. How is that safe? It’s common sense to stay home if someone in your household has covid. 

The quarantine time was shortened as well. Our schools and LAUSD don’t care for our safety at all. 

If I catch covid, and hopefully I don’t, I will take as many days as I need to get better no matter what the school says. The same goes for when someone in my household has covid, I am not returning to school and risking everyone around me until they test negative.

Students should not be risking their health and their families’ health during times like these, especially if they have health issues or are unvaccinated.