Staff shortages, fear and confusion: Los Angeles schools grapple with Covid chaos

Uncertainty facing nation hits its second-largest school district on a vast scale as Omicron fuels soaring cases

For students across the US, the return from winter break has been marked by chaos and confusion as the Omicron variant has exacerbated staff shortages and sparked fierce debates about how to reopen classrooms safely.

In Chicago, classes resumed and then were canceled abruptly last week as the teachers' union and school district failed to agree on safety protocols, while teachers in San Francisco and other Bay Area schools staged a sickout" to demand more N95 face masks, testing and paid sick leave for those who contract the coronavirus.