State Superintendent Tony Thurmond speaks on racism in California schools

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond held a virtual press conference Monday morning on the topics of race, the death of George Floyd and inequities in the California school system.

In his news conference, Thurmond issued a call to action and provided personal reflections in response to the death of George Floyd. He also provided an update on plans to lead a series of conversations among educators, students, families, and educational partners "about race, racism, implicit bias, and injustice."

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Thurmond has held several virtual press conferences and town halls in recent weeks as the Department of Education navigates how it will reopen schools in the fall.

The state is looking at ways to make the physical classroom safer, like slashing class sizes and even utilizing outdoor spaces for teaching.

Lesson plans will likely be a blend of in-person and online teaching, with more in-person instruction emphasized for elementary students and more distance learning assigned to older students.

Superintendent Thurmond said any plan to bring students and teachers back into the classroom will require everyone to have proper protective equipment, including face masks.