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Los Angeles schools are open, but kids stay indoors

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Los Angeles:

In the Los Angeles Unified School District, only one school closed entirely. Topanga Canyon Elementary, not far from the fire zone, shut down Tuesday, but reopened on Wednesday. The school system has canceled all outdoor activities, including physical education classes and team practices ‘until further notice,’ based on directive from the county health department and the district’s own environmental health and safety office.

‘Students are even eating inside at many of our schools,’ said Richard Alonzo, the superintendent of District 4, which includes Glassell Park, Echo Park and Hollywood. As for recreation activities, ‘schools usually have board games and things like that,’ said Alonzo. ‘They can read or play indoors, anything to get kids out of their seats and moving around.’

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Carson High Principal Kenneth Keener said his student athletes were able to play basketball and volleyball matches Wednesday because they were indoors. ‘Anything outside, we’re just waiting for word of when it’s safe, day by day,’ Keener said.

But even indoor activities are not automatically allowed, said Shelley Weston, a senior staffer in District 7, which covers much of South Los Angeles. ‘As a principal you need to look at your ventilation system,’ she said. ‘If you have a facility where you have a lot of outside air coming in,’ there may be problems.

The biggest athletic event of the week at many schools is Friday night football, which is officially canceled or postponed until district officials announce otherwise. Updates are posted at the website for the California Interscholastic Federation Los Angeles City Section.

-- Howard Blume

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