Salinas parents say San Diego County court ruling could fully open middle, high schools statewide

Salinas Union High School District voted to reopen hybrid in-person learning for only 8th and 12th graders beginning April 19th.

But some Salinas parents say all grade-levels should be allowed back and are now pointing to a San Diego County court ruling as legal precedent to make it happen.

I'M ERIN CLARK.DAN GREEN IS OFFTONIGHT.WE ARE BEGINNINGTONIGHT WITH A BACK TOSCHOOL DATE FOR 8TH AND 12THGRADERS IN THE SALINASUNION HIGH SCHOOLDISTRICT..BOARD MEMBERS VOTEDTONIGHT TO BRING STUDENTSBACK...BUT SOME PARENTS SAY THEYWANT áALLá KIDS BACK IN THECLASSROOM..AND A PENDING LAWSUITCOULD MAKE IT HAPPEN.ACTION NEWS 8 REPORTERCHRISTOPHER SALAS IS HERENOW WITH MORE ON THE LEGALACTION THAT COULD USURP THDISTRICT'S VOTTHE RESTRAINING ORDERSAYS THE STATE'S STABLEGROUPS REQUIREMENT..WHICH KEEPS KIDS IN THE SAMECLASS TOGETHER ALL DAY..

ISIN FACT A RECOMMENDATIONTHE RULING ALSO PUT A HALTTO THE REQUIRED FOUR FOOTSOCIAL DISTANCING BETWEENSTUDENTS..THE COURT ALSO SAIDIN-PERSON INSTRUCTION ISTHE STATEWIDE STANDARD..AND LOCAL EDUCATIONALDISTRICTS MUST OFFER IT TOTHE GREATEST EXTENTPOSSIBLE.THIS WAS OUT OF SANDIEGO..BUT THE JUDGE SAID THELAWSUIT APPLIES TO SCHOOLDISTRICTS STATEWIDE..IMPORTNAT TO NOTE..

THATWHILE THIS IS A TEMPORARYRESTRAINING ORDER..A PERMANENT DECISIONCOULD BE MADE IN TWO WEEKS.AND IT COULD HAVE HUGEIMPACTS ON SCHOOLSREOPENING.

"Conceivably what thoseguideline changes may leadto, is all kids back inschool five days a week.THAT'S WHAT SALINASUNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTSUPERINTENDENT DAN BURNSSAID REGARDING A FEDERALJUDGE'S RULING OUT OF SANDIEGO COUNTY..WHICH WOULD OVERHAUL THESALINAS UNION HIGH SCHOOLDISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD'SUNANIMOUS VOTE TO BRINGBACK JUST 8TH AND 12THGRADERS FOR A HYBRIDSCHEDULE BEGGINING APRIL19..ALONG WITH A SLOUGH OFOTHER STEPS FOLLOWING THATDECISION."Our legal counsel will bereviewing that and givingus some guidance movingforward."IN THE MEANTIME...PARENTS IN THE DISTRICTSAY THE DECISION TO ALLOWONLY SELECT GRADESVIOLATES THE JUDGES ORDERBY NOT OFFERING IN PERSONINSTRUCTIONTO THEGREATEST EXTENTPOSSIBLE..

At the earliestpracticable timeZOOM 06:58 "This opens upand kind of paves teh way fordistricts across teh stateto start getting somemovement on this."DEBORAH AJESKA SAYSSHE'S HOPING THE LAWSUITWILL FORCE ACTION..ON A SCHOOL BOARD THAT HASBEEN INACTIVE..ZOOM 03:51 "We are in teh redtier and oru high schoolsand middle schools are notopen.

That's justunaccepate.

We shoudl havebeen prepared for this."THE DISTRICT SAID IN ASURVEY OF MORE THAN 1,000PARENTS..PARENTS WERE DEAD SPLITON WHETHER OR NOT TOREOPEN...50 PERCENT READY TORETURN..THE SUPERINTENDENTDEFENDING THE PLAN TO BRINGBACK ONLY SELECT GRADES."How do you bring in 2,200studnets into one entry andone exit every day.

How doyou get them on buses.""Incrementally I think weneed to go back in person asopposed to flip the switchand get everybodyback."The state will get achance to defend itsreopening rules DURING aMarch 30 court hearing.DEPENDING ON WHAT THEJUDGE DECIDES... THEIMPLICATIONS COULDDETERMINE HOW SOON AND TOWHAT EXTENT SCHOOLDISTRICTS RE