We want schools to safely reopen, period.

Full stop Speaking at a school outside Sacramento, California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said he reached a $6.6 billion package deal with Democratic lawmakers to fund the reopening of schools for students up to second grade.

As the numbers of New Covid 19 cases in the state and country dropped to their lowest this year, things are moving in the right direction.

Things seem to be stabilizing.

We're seeing vaccinations increase.

We're seeing the positivity case rates decrease, though we are seeing a little bit of a plateau, and one needs to be mindful of that.

$2 billion would go towards paying for personal protective equipment, improved classroom ventilation and covid 19 testing incentivizing schools to reopen by the end of the month.

California's $6.6 billion budget package marks the latest effort by a U.

S state to get schoolchildren back in class after nearly a year confined to home learning by political leaders in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, single mothers in particular that are celebrating, I imagined this day compared to many other previous days, so many of our kids and caregivers are celebrating this day because we all are united around coming back safely into the schools and helping with the social emotional supports that our kids so desperately need.

But some school workers, like 60 year old Martel Riley, a bus driver for the Santa Monica Malibu Unified Schools District, are nervous about schools reopening.

We're very concerned, and then we ready to go back, but we want to make sure we go when we go back.

You know, we take our time, which keeps, you know, exercise in the social distancing wearing our man.

Riley, whose first day back was last Tuesday driving one special needs student twice a week, said he loves his job and is growing tired of sitting at home.

But he wants reassurance that he will be safe at work that's classified.

Employees were part of the education system, too, so it shouldn't be no, uh like the teachers priority.

We all at the same time should be vaccinated.

The deal the Democratic governor made does not include an order for public schools to open by a certain date, and Newsom conceded that negotiations may still need to take place with teachers unions.

The proposal would make vaccinating teachers and other school employees a priority in the state, and lawmakers are expected to pass it on Thursday.