Los Angeles Teachers Union Forcing Students to Keep Wearing Masks, Even Though the Mandate is Over

The United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union is going to force students to keep wearing masks to school, despite the county’s mask mandate expiring on March 11.

California has lifted the mandates statewide.

However, the union has asserted that students must continue to wear masks due to a bargaining agreement that they had reached with the county.

The district said in a statement that it’s still “working with labor partners and other stakeholders” to transition away from mandatory masking.

“Los Angeles Unified needs to acknowledge where we are with health conditions in our District and in our school communities,” the district said in a statement. “The science that informed the on-ramp to the protective protocols currently in place, which have ensured the well-being of our students and workforce, must, too, inform the off-ramp as health conditions improve.”

Please watch the following conversation with Los Angeles Unified’s medical director and health partners: https://t.co/mCFHRG2406 (2/2)

— Los Angeles Unified (@LASchools) March 12, 2022

Los Angeles Daily News reports, “earlier in the afternoon, the district had met with United Teachers Los Angeles to negotiate health-and-safety protocols at the district’s request, according to the teachers union. The district cannot lift its indoor masking mandate without bargaining with UTLA, with whom it has an agreement.

“UTLA did not provide a counterproposal today, but a follow-up session is scheduled for Wednesday, March 16,” UTLA said in a statement following the meeting.

School board Vice President Nick Melvoin wrote on Twitter that masking is still required.

This is not a clear update. What it should have said was indoor masking still required but they’re working on it. Disappointing all around and I will continue to advocate that we align with county guidelines asap. https://t.co/FkqOrcuOqu

— Nick Melvoin (@nickmelvoin) March 12, 2022