The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from Max Arias, executive director of SEIU Local 99 and SEIU California executive board member, after Governor Newsom signed an executive order that will keep dollars flowing to schools closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The order means schools closed to protect communities’ health can safely safely serve meals, deliver online instruction, and support special education and other crucial student needs.
“The Governor’s Executive Order is welcomed by California’s school employees, parents, and families who are facing a significant amount of anxiety and uncertainty over their health as well as their ability to provide the basics for their families,” Arias said. “We applaud the Governor’s action to protect everyone in our communities, including the workers who serve California’s students and their families. The values we hold most dear — dignity, inclusion, and justice for all — must be our guideposts in this time of crisis. School employees are at the frontline of the safety and well-being for our children and communities and we stand ready to work with our schools and families to keep us all safe.”
