Editorial: With wildfires spreading, students should have been dismissed from campus sooner

January 8, 2025

Math teacher Goncalo Fino de Sousa projects a news video in his period 1 Geometry class about the fires in Los Angeles on Jan. 8. Since the fires started on Jan. 7., many houses had been destroyed and evacuation warnings were issued to people in proximity of the fires.

Intense winds have played a pivotal role in the spread of three major wildfires across Los Angeles (LA) County since the early mornings of Jan. 7. Due to the proximity of multiple fires, it’s not safe for students to leave their homes to be on campus.

At around 7 a.m. on Jan. 8, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) notified families that six schools within the district would be closed because of the wildfires. Today, LAUSD closed Canyon Charter Elementary School, Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary, Marquez Charter Elementary School, Palisades Charter Elementary School, and Paul Revere Charter Middle School. Our school is minutes away from both the Palisades and the Hurst fires in Sylmar. Yet we, and many other schools, were deemed “unaffected” despite the blooming clouds of smoke in the sky.

This decision is unbelievable and extremely inconsiderate to student health and safety. The dangerous effects of inhaling wildfire smoke include a runny nose, coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. Additionally, strong winds can cause flying debris and other loose objects to be hazardous.

Other schools in surrounding areas such as Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS) and High Tech Los Angeles Charter High School (HTLA) closed. Despite also experiencing the effects of the wildfires, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) and other surrounding LAUSD schools remained open. Although all LAUSD schools are closed on Jan. 9., this should have been done sooner.

Long-term damage caused by exposure to this hazardous environment is a safety concern, especially for students who walk to and from school. During the school day on Jan. 8, the smell of smoke within the school hallways and classrooms was pungent, even causing some classes to relocate to other classrooms.

LAUSD’s decision to keep most schools open goes against their second pillar of priorities: joy and wellness. The district has failed to create a safe and welcoming learning environment by mandating students to show up on campus, exposing them to smoke and ash. LAUSD must reconsider its approach to catastrophic events and how they can affect students and their well-being. LAUSD should have taken action earlier to have our campus should have shut down to protect students from the approaching fires.

About the Contributor

Daryna Hriaznova, Staff Writer

Daryna Hriaznova is a sophomore and first year staff member of The Pearl Post. Being a part of the newspaper, she hopes to improve her skills in writing journalism and interviewing. Outside of The Pearl Post, she likes to write fictional books and stories and draw. She is proud to be a part of The Pearl Post and is excited to contribute to the newspaper.