Ahead of injunction decision, SFUSD updates reopening timeline

San Francisco Unified School District has released an update to its plan to resume in-person classes next month, two days after a judge said he would decide soon whether to grant a preliminary injunction the city attorney has sought to force to schools to reopen as soon as possible.

The update was shared at the district’s Board of Education meeting this week and for the first time provides dates for the resumption of in-person classes for secondary students.

Middle and high school campuses will reopen April 26, although high school athletic teams can hold practices and games beginning April 12 after a separate decision the district announced last week.

Prior to this week’s announcement, the district’s plan had provided dates only for reopening in-person classes for students in elementary grades, which begins April 12 in phases still being determined.

The updated plan is available on the district website.

Last month, City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed a lawsuit to compel the district and school board to come up with a plan to reopen schools for all students for the remainder of the school year, as public schools have been closed for a year and replaced with distance learning.

The suit alleges the district has impeded students’ rights to attend public school under the state’s Constitution; discriminated against students due to wealth, in violation of the state Constitution’s equal protection clause; and violated state law by failing to offer in-person learning “to the greatest extent possible.”

Judge Ethan Schulman said Monday he would decide in a week or so whether to grant the city’s request.

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