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Parents and teachers press board on ventilation, blocked apps and sibling placements during lengthy public comment
Summary
Multiple public commenters urged the Merced City School District to address indoor air quality and chronic absenteeism, restore classroom apps and clarify overflow placement and staff access policies; the superintendent said the district will follow up and emphasized attendance awareness.
A string of public commenters told the Merced City School District board on Sept. 9 that operational choices and facility conditions are affecting students and staff.
Pam Russos, a former parent and local family practice physician, urged the district to adopt California Department of Public Health ventilation and filtration recommendations to reduce respiratory infections and chronic absenteeism. "Occupied spaces need better air filtration and ventilation to decrease sick days," Russos said, citing Merced County wastewater surveillance and CO2 classroom measurements that she said were "over 1,600 parts per million, many days over 2,000" in August 2024 and again in April 2025. She suggested…
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