Chico Unified continues with in-person learning despite tier changes

Despite Butte County moving into the state's most restrictive tier, public health says schools that are already open can remain open.

Parents made their voices heard.

New tonight - chico unified school board decided to continue with in- person learning, despite purple tier restrictions in butte county.

Action news now reporter esteban reynoso is here.

Esteban, why did they decide to stick with in-person learning?

They decided to stay with in- person learning after hearing from frustrated parents -- even though butte county saw 35 new covid-19 cases today for a total of 3,526 confirmed.

Public health says schools that are already open for in- person learning can remain that way, even in the state's most restrictive tier.

Chico unified parents were allowed to make their voices heard throughout the meeting.

"please please, don't take our tiny two hours of education away from our children.

I saw his learning increase, even though it's still behind what it should be.

I saw a little light return that has all but died away with hours of squirming around on headphones and a chromebook."

"my six-year-old on the other hand you were lucky if you got him on the zoom meeting for more than a minute to two minutes at the max.

It got to the point where you would say the word school and he would sit in the back of my van and just ball his eyes out because he missed his friends, he missed his teachers."

"hardest thing would be getting her focused and not having to sit their all day with her to find her pages and to do basically all the work right along with her."

Community health director monica soderstrom joined the board meeting through zoom and explained why it was up to the board whether classes go virtual or not.

"it was determined that if a school opened while they were in the red tier or lower, so orange or yellow and then later their county went into the purple tier, they would remain open if they so chose to do so."

Board member linda hovey made her decision early, and a decision that rubbed off on the majority of the board.

"i am leaning towards staying the course.

I would ask anyone to try and change my mind, but that is currently how i feel."

What do you want, do you want to stay in school or do you want to go online?

"i want to stay in school."

The school boards decision to remain with the am-pm model -- means classes will remain the same until the end of the fall semester alan, back to you.

The next school board meeting will be held on december 2nd, and that's where the board will make decisions for next semester.