CTA president on vaccinating teachers; San Francisco school superintendent on ‘frivolous’ lawsuit

San Francisco Mayor London Breed, expressing the frustration of many parents, sues San Francisco’s school board and superintendent to try to force city schools to reopen. Gov. Gavin Newsom, worried about further potential delays, clarifies that vaccinating teachers is a priority but not a prerequisite for returning to school for in-person instruction.

With the Legislature soon to weigh in on its position on reopening schools, it’s been a busy week of jostling to put stakes in the ground.

We get reactions to the issues: San Francisco Unified Superintendent Vincent Matthews says he’s exasperated that city officials made inaccurate accusations and sued before sitting down to talk. California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd insists that vaccinating teachers who are heading back to school is a key piece to ensuring students and staff are safe, and time is needed to put protections in place.

Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools Dave Gordon, meanwhile, says his county and 13 districts are ready and waiting to vaccinate all school staff in clinics within two weeks — as soon as the vaccines arrive.

For background on these issues, check out the following:

Dispute widens between Gov. Newsom, school employee unions over reopening campuses

Joining national debate, San Francisco enters uncharted territory in battle over reopening schools

California schools consider extending next school year while mental health remains a concern

Quick Guide: What California’s color-coded county tracking system means for schools