July 12, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

LAUSD Chief Medical Director and Superintendent Recommend Sending Mildly Sick Students to Class

This Change In Policy Comes As A Surprise and Likely Related To Absence Rates

By Dolores Quintana

Smita Malhotra, MD, Chief Medical Director of the Los Angeles Unified School District, issued a message on the Los Angeles Unified School District website that changed the school district’s policy on keeping your children home when they are sick. 

In the message, she stated, “My advice on keeping children home from school now is similar to what was in place pre-pandemic. It is not practical for working parents to keep children home from school for every runny nose, nor is it in the best interest of children to continue to miss school after pandemic school closures.

If your child has a mild runny nose or cold symptoms that are not bothering them and they test negative for COVID-19, send them to school. Your child can wear a mask at school when they have these mild symptoms.

However, if your child has a fever (100.4F and above), vomiting or diarrhea, severe pain, or difficulty breathing, take them to see their pediatrician. The best advice I have given parents is to follow your parental instinct-you will know when a child is too sick to attend school.”

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has also advocated for students to attend school even when mildly unwell, a departure from the stringent health precautions maintained during the pandemic. Carvalho and Malhotra both emphasized their belief that not attending school has been linked to detrimental effects on mental health and hindered learning. The superintendent seeks to increase school attendance by five percent this year after U.S. schools have seen extremely high amounts of student absences since the beginning of the pandemic. It seems boosting attendance is the top priority for LAUSD, which is related to state funding to school districts. According to Carvalho, an increase of 5% would mean an additional $300 million in funding. 

Carvalho said, as quoted by The Los Angeles Times, “I understand maybe the surprise of some parents, but we have always been informed as a school system by the expert voices of medical entities. Times have changed. Conditions have changed, and the recommendations of protocols have shifted as well.”

This change in policy constitutes a complete 180 from the LAUSD Covid policy from the past, which was one of the nation’s most strict in regards to Covid infections. Malhotra said, “More than two years later, with the availability of vaccines, therapeutics, and a greater understanding of the COVID-19 virus, my message to parents is this: schools are some of the safest places for children to be.

Covid rates in Los Angeles County have been steadily increasing since the July 4 holiday weekend, which has been a reliable spike in infections each year since 2020. The daily average number of Covid cases in August 2 was 264, and the daily average number of Covid cases in August 9 was 333. SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration has also increased from 12% to 19% in the same time period. Both Los Angeles County Public Health and LAUSD think that these upticks in infection and indicators of infection are relatively low.

in News
Related Posts

Downtown Santa Monica CEO Andrew Thomas to Step Down

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

Thomas, who rejoined DTSM, Inc. in 2022, oversaw the introduction of a private security program, expanded homeless outreach, and boosted...

Mayor Bass Issues Directive to Protect Immigrant Communities

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

The order expands access to city resources for affected families and requests records from ICE, including details on arrests Mayor...

(Video) Summer Camp at School of Rock West LA Turns Kids Into Rockstars

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

To Sign Up Now, Go To Schoolofrock.com Summer Camp at School of Rock West LA Turns Kids Into Rockstars To...

County Health Leaders Decry Federal Policy Barring Undocumented from Programs

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

The officials argued the policy jeopardizes care for all residents, noting it could deter people—regardless of status—from seeking treatment  Leaders...

LA Medical Center Seeks Help Identifying Unconscious Patient

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

He has been unconscious since admission, and staff have been unable to determine his identity Los Angeles General Medical Center,...

L.A. Louver Marks David Hockney’s 88th with Exhibit

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Hockney, a British artist born in 1937, gained fame with the British Pop Art movement and later became known for...

California Seizes $476 Million in Illegal Cannabis

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

The operation, described as UCETF’s largest to date, involved support from multiple state agencies The state confiscated $476 million worth...

Suspect Arrested in Shoe Retail Theft Spree Across LA County

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

During the search, police recovered two firearms and a significant quantity of merchandise The Los Angeles Police Department’s Organized Retail...

For the Win Burger Chain Expanding to Brentwood: REPORT

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

Popular items include the double cheeseburger with bacon and jalapenos, as well as loaded fries topped with For The Win...

The Bar at Century Plaza to Celebrate National Caviar Day with Exclusive Tastings

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The seven-hour event will feature exclusive caviar tastings and champagne pairings The Bar at Fairmont Century Plaza will host a...

Father-Daughter Authors to Host Book Signing to Aid Fire-Affected Women

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

Ten percent of proceeds from book and art sales will benefit the Pacific Palisades Rebuilding Fund, a nonprofit initiative created...

Metro Reports Crime Drop, Higher Rider Satisfaction, and Progress on Major Projects

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The Authority said the drop in violent incidents—down to the lowest level since May 2019—coincided with more uniformed personnel and...

Angelini Grill Opens Limited Run at Peninsula Beverly Hills

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The menu includes tableside Dover Sole, lobster salad, and a signature pasta tasting A new culinary collaboration, Angelini Grill, launched...

Jack Kirby Exhibit Opens at Skirball Cultural Center

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The display features original comic illustrations, fine art, and commercial works, many shown publicly for the first time A new...

New Agenda Coaching: Changing Lives in LA

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Students Work Toward Applied Success with Executive Function Coaching Services The demands of daily routines and studies sometimes bear weight...