EGUSD Parent Coalition group demands Elk Grove Schools be reopened for in-class instruction

UPDATED 10 a.m. |

A group of about 200 parents and students held a protest demanding Elk Grove Schools be reopened for in-class instruction.

Organized by a group calling itself EGUSD Parent Coalition organized the protest event at the Elk Grove Unified School District administrative offices. The late Tuesday afternoon protest was held before the board of trustees' first regular meeting in February.

The group has been pressing the school district to give parents the option of having their children attend classes or continue virtual learning. The group reportedly has 1,500 members district-wide.

The protest rally featured several parents, students, and EGUSD Parent Colation leadership speakers. One of the colation's leadership members addressing the audience was Anne Spencer, who encouraged parents to reach out to any of the seven trustees to voice their concerns.

"Please, please, keep on our board members not matter which area you represent where you are from," Spencer said. "We have one board member who is on our side, Carmine Forcina. From the very beginning, he's wanted our schools open. The rest of them, they have to hear from us."

After Spencer's comments, the group marched through the parking lot several times, stood along Elk Grove-Florin Road, and chanted in front of the administrative offices.

Spencer also suggested surveys conducted by the school district to gauge the favorability of distance learning were skewed. She said their survey results would show that distance learning is working. "Look at how many people actually filled out the survey - 14,000 students out of 69,000 students and 5,000 something parents," she said. "They are saying parents are more engaged than ever, That is simply not true, and they are delusional in thinking that."

Elk Grove schools were among the first districts in California to switch to distance learning in early March 2020 after two students tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, there has been mounting political pressure statewide to ease restrictions on businesses and resume in-class instruction.

Updated with video below.

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