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Artificial intelligence and robotics

Law firms rapidly migrating to AI are weighing benefits against risks and unknowns

By Matt Reynolds

Jul 20, 2023 8:46 am CDT

“When you think about its ability to collect, analyze and summarize a lot of data, that’s a tremendous head start for any legal project,” says DLA Piper partner and data scientist Bennett B. Borden. Image from Shutterstock.

Updated: In autumn 2022, David Wakeling, head of the Markets Innovation Group at law firm Allen & Overy in London, got a glimpse into the future. Months before the release of ChatGPT, he demoed Harvey, a platform built on OpenAI’s GPT technology and tailored for large law firms.

“As I peeled the onion, I could see that it was quite a serious matter. I’ve been involved with technology for a long time. It’s the first time the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end,” says Wakeling.

Allen & Overy were soon among the first to adopt Harvey, announcing in March that 3,500 lawyers in 43 offices were using it. Then, in March, accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers announced a “strategic alliance” with the San Francisco-based startup, which recently secured $21 million in funding.

Other major law firms have adopted generative AI products at breakneck speed or are developing their own platforms. DLA Piper partner and data scientist Bennett B. Borden calls the technology “the most transformative technology” since computers. And it works well for lawyers, as it can speed up mundane legal tasks and help them focus on more meaningful work.

“When you think about its ability to collect, analyze, and summarize a lot of data, that’s a tremendous head start for any legal project,” says Borden, whose firm uses Casetext’s CoCounsel AI generative legal assistant for legal research, document reviews, and contract analysis. (In June, Thomson Reuters announced that it had agreed to buy Casetext for $650 million.)

But generative AI is forcing companies to address the risks of deploying the new technology, which is largely unregulated. In May, Gary Marcus, a leading expert on artificial intelligence, warned a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee subcommittee on privacy, technology and law that even the makers of generative AI platforms “don’t quite understand how they work.”

Law firms and legal technology companies face the unique security and privacy challenges that come with using the software and with a tendency to provide inaccurate and biased answers.

Those concerns became clear when it emerged that an attorney relied on ChatGPT for citations in a brief filed in New York federal court in March. The problem? The cases mentioned did not exist. The chatbot had invented them.

Careful, proactive

Harvey representatives did not respond to several interview requests. But to guard against inaccuracies and bias, Allen & Overy’s New York partner Karen Buzard says the firm has a solid training and vetting program in place, and attorneys are greeted with “rules of use” before using the platform.

“No matter what level you’re at — from youngest to oldest — if you’re using it, you have to validate the output or you could embarrass yourself,” says Wakeling. “It’s really disruptive, but wasn’t every major technological change disruptive?”

However, other law firms are more cautious. In April, Thomson Reuters surveyed mid-to-large law firm attitudes toward generative AI, concluding that the majority “take a cautious but hands-on approach.” It found that 60% of respondents had no “current plans” to use the technology. Only 3% reported using it and only 2% “actively plan to use it”.

David Cunningham, chief innovation officer at Reed Smith, says his company is proactive when it comes to generative AI. The company is currently testing Lexis+ AI and CoCounsel and will try out Harvey this summer and BloombergGPT when it comes out.

“I wouldn’t say we’re more conservative,” says Cunningham. “I would say we put more emphasis on making sure we’re doing this with guidance, guidelines and training and really focusing on the quality of the results.”

He says the law firm’s pilot program focuses on commercial systems where the firm “knows the guard rails.” “We know the security, we know the retention policies,” he adds. “We know the governance issues.”

“The reason we are cautious is because the products are still immature. The products still do not offer the quality, reliability, transparency and consistency that we would expect from a lawyer,” he says.

Pablo Arredondo, co-founder and chief innovation officer at Casetext, says there’s a big difference between “generic chatbots” like ChatGPT and CoCounsel, which are based on OpenAI’s large GPT-4 language model, but are trained on rights-based datasets, and where Data is secure and is monitored, encrypted and audited.

He understands why some are taking a more cautious approach, but predicts that the benefits will soon be “so noticeable and undeniable that I think the adoption rate will increase.”

New rules

Meanwhile, regulators are catching up. In May, Sam Altman, CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, called on lawmakers in Congress to regulate the technology. He first said that OpenAI could withdraw from the European Union due to the proposed artificial intelligence law, which includes requirements to prevent illegal content and disclose copyrighted works that manufacturers use to train their platforms.

In October, the White House released a draft AI Bill of Rights. This includes safeguards against “unsafe or ineffective” AI systems. Algorithms that make a difference; practices that violate privacy; a notification system so people know how AI is being used and what impact it is having; and the ability to completely opt out of AI systems.

In January, the National Institute of Standards and Technology released an AI risk management framework to foster innovation and help organizations create trusted AI systems by controlling, mapping, measuring, and managing risk.

But the public had to wait until June for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to unveil a much-anticipated strategy to regulate the technology. He introduced a regulatory framework and said the Senate will hold a series of forums with AI experts before formulating policy proposals. Then, in July, the Washington Post reported that the Federal Trade Commission was investigating OpenAI’s data security practices and whether they had harmed consumers.

Still, DLA Piper partner Danny Tobey argues there is a risk of over-regulation due to scaremongering and misconceptions about how advanced the technology is.

“I worry that regulations will become obsolete before they even come into effect, or stifle innovation and creativity,” he says.

But speaking to lawmakers in May, Marcus said AI systems must be unbiased, transparent, protect privacy and “above all, be safe.”

“Current systems are not transparent, they don’t adequately protect our privacy, and they continue to encourage bias,” Marcus said. “Most importantly, we cannot remotely guarantee that they are safe.”

Others are calling for a halt to the development of large language models until the risks are better understood. In March, the technology ethics group Center for AI and Digital Policy filed a complaint with the FTC, asking it to stop further commercial releases of GPT-4. The complaint was followed by an open letter signed by thousands of technology experts, including SpaceX, Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk, calling for a six-month pause in research into generative AI language models that are more powerful than GPT-4.

Ernest Davis, a professor of computer science at New York University, was one of the signers of the letter and considers a moratorium a “very good idea”.

“They release software before it’s ready for general use simply because the competitive pressure is so intense,” he says.

But Borden says there is “no global authority” or global governance of AI. Even if freezing is a good idea, “it’s not possible.”

“Pausing AI is like pausing weather,” Tobey adds. “We have to innovate because countries like China are doing it at the same time. Still, companies and industries need to play a role in shaping their own internal governance to ensure these tools are used securely like any other tool.”

Updated July 20 at 11:20 am to include additional reports and information on the Federal Trade Commission investigation into OpenAI and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s announcement of a regulatory framework.

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As cyber, natural disasters and other perils pose risks to businesses, they turn to their insurance partners for support and advice.

Risk managers have seen some disruption in recent years. From the pandemic and cyberattacks to natural disasters, talent challenges and the looming recession, risk professionals have a busy schedule.

To get a picture of risk managers’ views of the industry, Risk & Insurance® surveyed 156 risk managers.

They shared insights into their most worrying risks, which lines they are struggling to secure cover for, what they look to their brokers and carriers for, and how technology is helping them manage evolving risks.

Surprisingly, trending issues like inflation remain less of a concern for risk managers (only 9.62% named it a top concern), while issues like real estate and cyber, which have been challenges for years, remain top priorities. Here’s a look at their top three concerns and what they’re doing to manage those risks.

What risks are risk managers most concerned about?

1) Cyber ​​risk: Nearly 30% of risk managers surveyed cited cyber as the most worrying risk facing their organization. In recent years, cyberattacks have increased in frequency and severity, with healthcare, public sector and manufacturing sectors particularly vulnerable.

In addition to concerns about cyber risks, many risk managers surveyed expressed difficulty finding insurance coverage for these risks. Over 30% of risk managers said cyber was the most difficult line of insurance they found economically to retain.

2) Talent Shortage: Skills shortages continue to be an issue for employers, even as more and more companies are announcing layoffs and economists are predicting a recession. In the survey, 26.28% of respondents named the shortage of skilled workers as one of their biggest problems.

Talent gaps can impact workers’ compensation risks, says Donald Noel, ARM-E, CEBS, Risk & Safety Manager, The School District of Palm Beach County. Newer employees have a higher risk of injury at work. If an employee is injured in a company with staff shortages, it can put an additional strain on the organization.

“Safety is a priority for us to prevent the staff we have wasting time through injuries,” Noel said.

And they’re a problem for risk management, too: 36.30% of respondents said they don’t have the people to deliver on their departmental goals.

3) CAT exposures: CAT risks were the third-biggest risk, with 13.46% of respondents citing it as the top concern. Storms such as hurricanes have become more frequent in recent years and have repeatedly caused damage.

Property insurance was the second most difficult coverage to tie, said risk managers who took part in the survey, with 25.34% listing it as their most difficult line of business.

To manage these risks, many risk managers update their properties to include improvements that protect them from severe weather.

“Our district is investing in upgrading our older facilities, including new roofs, waterproofing, and improved mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems,” Noel said. “These investments help keep our buildings drier and provide a healthy learning environment for our students.”

What do risk managers look for in their freight forwarders and brokers?

In managing these complex risks, risk managers look to their insurance agents and carriers for support.

The survey found that industry knowledge and underwriting expertise are the most important qualities that risk managers look for in their broker or carrier.

Carriers and brokers with in-depth knowledge can help design creative insurance solutions for their clients and offer advice on how to reduce exposure to specific risks.

34.62% of respondents said they value industry knowledge from their agent and 25.64% said they look to their airline for strong underwriting expertise.

After these qualities, risk managers prioritized strong customer service, competitive pricing, and ease of doing business.

Price and ease of doing business are the second most important criteria for quality risk managers in a carrier, with as many as 20.51% of respondents citing both as top priorities. On the agent side, 28.21% of risk managers surveyed said customer service was an important quality to look for in their agent.

How does technology help manage these risks?

Risk managers not only rely on the expertise of carriers and brokers to manage these risks, they are also turning to technology to reduce and manage a variety of hazards.

Nearly 30% of risk managers said they prioritize investments in technology. These tools can range from sensors that help identify potential damage from things like flooding, cybersecurity controls, and AI and predictive analytics systems.

On the cyber side, Noel says he sees organizations using tools like multi-factor authentication to protect themselves from cyber attacks.

As for predictive analytics, 42.47% of respondents said predictive analytics was somewhat helpful in risk management and 12.33% said it was very effective. Over ten percent said they have not experienced any benefits from predictive analytics, and 23.29% said they are not yet using it.

The Palm Beach County School District uses predictive analytics about its TPA to determine which claims need attention from adjusters.

“When predicting severity, we can use more experienced subject matter experts on the original claims of this PA [predictive analytics] determines that this will result in an expensive or legal claim,” he said.

The prioritization of both knowledgeable insurance teams and technology investments shows that risk managers understand they need to take a multi-pronged approach to managing risk in today’s changing world. &

Courtney DuChene is a freelance journalist based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at [email protected]

The post Threat Managers Have Spoken: They Want Assist from Brokers and Carriers to Deal with These 3 Urgent Dangers : Threat & Insurance coverage appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

It’s been three decades since two disastrous earthquakes shook California into looking more seriously at its seismic vulnerabilities. In 1989, Northern California was rocked by the Loma Prieta quake. Five years later, the Northridge quake hit Southern California.

There is no question California has made some significant improvements on seismic safety since then. The state moved to retrofit many freeway bridges and overpasses to better withstand violent shaking. A number of seismically resilient hospitals have risen across California, replacing ones that officials feared could collapse during a major temblor. Universities and other institutions have embarked on retrofitting efforts. After decades of stalling, some cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, are demanding property owners strengthen apartments and other weak buildings.

But vulnerabilities remain — and in ways the public does not always consider.
Here are some points that seismic experts believe California needs to address, from the pages of The Times:

Sewage systems could be unusable after an earthquake, meaning Californians would have to dispose of human waste in buckets or backyards.

(Daniel Sulzberg / For The Times)

1. Vital utilities fail

A huge earthquake in Southern California would cause massive damage — including some that would make recovery difficult.

Officials have warned that the region could see major interruptions in power, gas and other vital services due to quake damage.

This article is part of the L.A. Times guide to earthquake prep. Full coverage here.

UPDATED
June 17, 2021 | 10:43 AM

How much water should you have?

If you smell gas, do you know how to shut off your gas meter?

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One of the most ominous is the looming threat on the edge of Southern California’s sprawling metropolis — the Cajon Pass. It’s a narrow mountain pass where the San Andreas fault — California’s longest and one of its most dangerous — intersects with combustible natural gas and petroleum pipelines, electrical transmission lines, train tracks and Interstate 15 north of San Bernardino.

A huge earthquake on the San Andreas could move one side of the fault as much as 30 feet from the other. Such an earthquake would rupture flammable pipelines and lead to a catastrophic explosion so powerful it leaves behind a crater.

And if utilities aren’t able to shut off the flow of petroleum or natural gas, firefighters could be helpless to keep a raging wildfire from spreading across the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, just as the rest of Southern California staggers from the worst earthquake it has seen in more than 150 years.

In recent years, there has been a campaign to do something.

One way to reduce the risk of catastrophe at the Cajon Pass would be to put shutoff valves on both sides of the San Andreas fault on petroleum and natural gas pipelines. If the pipelines are automatically turned off during the earthquake, it could prevent huge amounts of fuel from being ignited if the pipelines break.

Studies have shown that burst water pipes could leave parts of Southern California without running water for six months. Some experts point out that it’s impractical to retrofit all of Southern California’s water pipes with earthquake-resistant, flexible versions in our lifetime. But even some retrofitting would help. In certain situations, sewer lines could be unusable, and people would have to dig holes or use buckets to contain human waste.

Soft-story buildings such as dingbat apartments need retrofitting to make them safer.

(Daniel Sulzberg / For The Times)

2. Buildings collapse

There are several types of buildings experts say are at greatest risk of collapse or major damage.

They include brittle concrete towers ubiquitous in business districts such as downtown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the Wilshire and Ventura boulevard corridors; wood apartment buildings with “soft” first stories (which usually house carports) like the one that collapsed in Northridge in 1994, killing 16 people; and steel skyscrapers, potentially.

A U.S. Geological Survey simulation of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Southern California said 50 brittle concrete buildings housing 7,500 people could completely or partially collapse and that it was plausible that five high-rise steel buildings — of a type known to be seismically vulnerable — holding 5,000 people could completely collapse.

Some cities have taken significant steps to make those buildings safer by requiring costly retrofitting aimed at protecting those inside and preserving the housing supply. But many others have ignored the seismic threat. And that has created an uneven landscape that in the coming years will leave some cities significantly better prepared to withstand a big quake.

Los Angeles and San Francisco have been aggressively requiring retrofits of apartments and concrete buildings. And there is a success story they can point to from the past.

Los Angeles was one of the first cities in California to require retrofitting of unreinforced brick buildings. Of about 8,000 buildings, almost all have been retrofitted or demolished since a 1981 law. In some cases, Los Angeles officials had to go to court and threaten to label a building as unsafe, barring anyone from being inside it.

No one died from brick-building damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

An earthquake can turn the bricks in a chimney into projectiles.

(Daniel Sulzberg / For The Times)

3. Foundations and chimneys

Older single-family homes, by and large, are considered safer than bigger brittle concrete, unreinforced masonry and soft-story apartment buildings.

But there are some risks — and solutions that experts have urged homeowners to consider. Brick chimneys are one: They account for a common form of damage during larger California quakes.

When chimneys collapse, bricks can become deadly projectiles. At least 15,000 brick chimneys were damaged in Los Angeles during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. In Napa in 2014, about half of residential buildings damaged were due to brick chimneys.

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Many California cities prohibit putting unreinforced brick chimneys in new homes. Others, including Los Angeles, have imposed stringent requirements that discourage homeowners from using brick.

Older brick chimneys — generally those built before 1980 — are too stiff and brittle to withstand major shaking. The mortar holding them together can be ground down.

Across California, older brick chimneys are generally not required to be reinforced, and few have been strengthened or replaced.

Minimal retrofitting options for a single-family house usually cost less than $5,000.

To keep bricks from falling through the roof during an earthquake, one option is to add layers of plywood on the roof around the chimney. Another is to remove the upper part of the chimney, which can twist and turn during shaking, and replace it with metal. A third option is to add a diagonal steel brace to the chimney.

Even with those improvements, the chimney still could collapse. A more extensive retrofit, which could cost tens of thousands of dollars, involves removing the chimney or rebuilding it.

If the homeowner doesn’t need the chimney to be functional, the retrofitting could be as simple as placing a steel tube down the structure and filling it with concrete.

There are an estimated 1.2 million California homes with a deficiency that can render them unlivable after strong shaking. It involves houses built before 1980, but especially before 1940, that are a few steps off the ground and have a crawl space between the living space and the ground the house sits on.

The problem is the homes haven’t been properly braced and bolted to the foundation. Walls and wood beams that keep the house off the ground aren’t fastened tightly to the ground, and the lack of grip can cause the home to be shoved off the foundation — as if the shaking has broken the building’s knees and a rug has been pulled from underneath the home.

The basic fix involves bolting or anchoring the house to the foundation and adding plywood around the flimsy crawl space. In Southern California, the typical cost for a bolt-only retrofit is about $3,000 to $3,500; the median cost for a house that also needs plywood is $3,900.

This type of home is quite common throughout areas of California at high risk for significant shaking. In the magnitude 6 earthquake that hit Napa in 2014, retrofitted houses rode out the quake fine, but some that were not strengthened were so damaged that residents were forced out of their homes.

Though a retrofit can cost thousands of dollars, repairing a broken house after an earthquake can cost hundreds of thousands.

The retrofit takes about two or three days, requires a local government permit and can be performed by a contractor or a knowledgeable do-it-yourselfer.

A directory of contractors who have taken a free online Federal Emergency Management Agency training course on seismic retrofits of homes is on the state’s website; officials recommend homeowners obtain at least three bids before choosing a contractor.

Research has shown that natural disasters take a toll on mental health.

(Daniel Sulzberg / For The Times)

4. Mental health toll

When a big earthquake strikes, the public’s attention immediately goes to the physically injured, the dead or collapsed buildings. But something else also starts: the toll on mental health.

Traumatic stress rises in the aftermath of a disaster, researchers say. One study examining survivors of 10 disasters found that one-third had a post-disaster diagnosis — with post-traumatic stress disorder being the most prevalent (20%), followed by major depression (16%) and alcohol use disorder (9%).

Worsening mental health has been documented in a number of recent disasters, including the aftermath of Northridge and the magnitude 6.2 earthquake in New Zealand in 2011.

Deteriorating mental health can sometimes be obscured by the phases of a disaster. Immediately after a disaster, researchers have documented that there can be a community emotional high as people enter into a heroic rescue mode, followed by a honeymoon period where a community bonds and there is unrealistic hope that everything can return to normal quickly. But then there can be a long phase downward, and it can be accompanied by stress, exhaustion and fatigue.

Experts say it’s important that officials recognize the looming public mental health crisis before a disaster strikes. After the Feb. 22, 2011, Christchurch earthquake, some say mental health services fell short and people suffered. Others say they got good care, and in subsequent years, public health officials embarked on an innovative public mental health campaign called “All Right?” that sought to improve the community’s mental health — a tactic that came back to prominence after shootings at mosques led to the deaths of 51 people, New Zealand’s worst mass killing in its modern history.

The pandemic taught us that product shortages — remember empty shelves where paper products should have been? — are possible in a crisis.

(Daniel Sulzberg / For The Times)

5. Supplies

As the pandemic demonstrated, our just-in-time economy is vulnerable to disruptions and shortages of supplies that can suddenly come under heavy demand, whether it be paper masks or toilet paper.

Residents are urged to stock up on key supplies: ample water (a gallon a day per person and per pet), food, medications, spare eyeglasses, warm clothes and blankets. A stockpile of food, water and medicine should last at least three days but ideally for at least two weeks.

You may also want to consider having a shovel or bucket handy — an extensive outage of water or sewage service could result in people needing to dispose of human waste in their backyard, if they have one.

The widespread and lengthy power outages in Texas in February, sparked by intense winter storms, show just how critical it is to be prepared with supplies. Food supplies dwindled as power outages lasted far longer than most people expected.

The economic effects of an earthquake will touch households, businesses and governments.

(Daniel Sulzberg / For The Times)

6. A vulnerable economy

Households, businesses and local governments should come up with plans on how they’ll deal with a disaster when it comes.

Do people have enough savings to ride out a few months of economic instability? Do homeowners and renters have earthquake insurance, which will help pay for hotel stays if your home is uninhabitable?

Can local, state or federal governments be ready to hand out stimulus checks to keep businesses running and people paid, as New Zealand did when Christchurch was hit with an earthquake in 2011? And are local officials ready to make tough but speedy decisions on how their post-quake city will look?

7. Communications out

There hasn’t been a major quake in California since cellphones, smartphones and WiFi became ubiquitous. When the destructive Northridge quake hit in 1994, landlines still ruled and the internet wasn’t yet a central part of people’s lives.

Cell service can be crucial to the ongoing function of a society during and after a crisis. Widespread outages of cellphone networks after hurricanes or major storms have been a consistent problem in the United States, interfering with recovery efforts. In Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017, residents roamed roads searching for signal; cellphone towers on the East Coast were disrupted after Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

In Japan, it is required that cellphones have a 48-hour backup power supply, said seismologist Lucy Jones, author of “The Big Ones: How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us (and What We Can Do About Them).”

There was some discussion as to whether such a standard should be required in Los Angeles to prepare for earthquakes; but it became clear several years ago that neighborhood groups would oppose having diesel-powered generators at wireless tower sites, which would need to be tested monthly.

A prolonged power outage — and lack of cell service — can cause major problems for recovery. The hardest-hit areas in Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami ran through the 48 hours of backup supply. The power wasn’t coming back soon, and that’s when people gave up and started leaving the area.

In 2015, Los Angeles became the first city in the nation to approve seismic standards for new cellphone towers, part of an effort to strengthen communications infrastructure in preparation for the next big quake.

The Los Angeles plan requires new freestanding cellphone towers to be built to the same seismic standards as public safety facilities. Cellphone towers are conventionally built only strong enough to not collapse and kill people during a major earthquake. They’re traditionally not required to be strong enough to continue working.

8. The inside of your home.

The inside of homes can offer many hazards that can become potentially deadly projectiles in an earthquake, like an unstrapped bookshelf or clothes dresser or an unsecured TV or microwave.

Fixes before the shaking begins can be easy and cheap: A trip to the hardware store or online can offer people tools to strap bookcases to walls and mount TVs.

The post These are a number of the main earthquake dangers going through California appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Despite most of the COVID-19 infections and deaths in the United States, more and more districts in California are starting to reopen businesses, schools, and other public facilities such as theme parks and museums.

On Tuesday, seven more districts were lowered from the most restrictive “purple level” to the “red level” in the state’s “blueprint for a safer economy”. The “red level” carries a “significant” risk with 4 to 7 new cases per 100,000 people and a test positivity rate of 5 to 8 percent, both of which indicate high levels of community transmission of the virus. Counties that have stepped on the red row include San Francisco, Santa Clara, Napa, San Luis Obispo, Lassen, Modoc, and El Dorado.

Kindergarten teachers entering a California elementary school

Contrary to the media lockdown indicating that this move justifies reopening schools and businesses, this is an incredibly reckless move, especially given the proliferation of more contagious and deadly variants, including the now dominant CAL.20C variant. Despite these risks, numerous school districts have begun reopening elementary schools for personal instruction.

In San Francisco, the Democratic Mayor of London Breed announced on the county’s website that the red designation would allow middle and high schools to open. The Breed office cynically welcomed the fact that face-to-face instruction and services are being offered “to include youth with disabilities, foster children, English learners, children with homelessness and children from families with housing or food insecurity”.

Last week, the San Francisco Board of Education announced that it had reached an agreement with the United Educators San Francisco (UESF) union that will require schools to reopen when the city enters the lower levels. When the red level is reached, the schools will open as long as the teachers have been vaccinated. If the city enters the “orange tier” with 1-3.9 cases per 100,000 and a test positivity rate of 2-4.9 percent, educators will no longer need vaccinations.

Like the rest of the teachers’ unions, including the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), the UESF has not objected to the reopening of schools, and the only partial demand is the vaccination of teachers. The threat to students, their families and the families of the educators has not been raised by any of the teachers’ unions as they act as mediators in meeting the demands of the financial elite.

In addition to opening schools, indoor restaurants, libraries, and other non-essential workplaces can reopen from 25 percent to 50 percent. Museums, zoos and aquariums are allowed to reopen with a capacity of 25 percent, while cinemas can be reopened with a capacity of 25 percent or 100 people, whichever is lower. Outdoor events such as sports and youth programs are also being expanded.

San Francisco has reported more than 34,000 cases and 422 deaths since the pandemic began. The city’s elite remain relatively low compared to the rest of the United States. The city’s tourism and local economy have suffered, and businesses have put additional pressure on the city to reopen.

On Tuesday, Mayor Breed announced at Pier 39, a popular tourist area in San Francisco, “I’m sure you’re tired of being locked in the house. And here’s an amazing opportunity to enjoy your city, come to Pier 39, have Irish coffee – St. Patrick’s Day is coming – at Cioppino to enjoy Scoma’s, some of the local shops that have always been were here, others from the places we all know and love. “

Just a few weeks ago, hospitals in Los Angeles and Riverside Counties in Southern California were zero percent. First aiders were allowed to declare patients dead at the scene because there was no more oxygen in hospitals.

These major epicentres of the pandemic are now trying to ease conventions and non-essential business restrictions as they near the red plain. Last week, LA County reported 7.2 new cases per day and 100,000 people, compared with 12.3 cases a week ago and 20 new cases a week ago. The fall rate in Orange County was recently put at 7.6, down from 11.9 last week and 20.7 the week before.

Working directly with California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and district officials, the UTLA put teachers in Los Angeles on a catch-22 and let them vote on whether or not to accept the union’s safety plan, which is by nature is unsure. The plan includes reopening the school upon entry into the red tier, offering vaccinations for teachers, and vague language regarding personal protective equipment. If teachers vote yes, they are asked to accept these terms. If they vote no, the district may hurl them into dangerous classrooms upon entering the red row.

Just south of Los Angeles is Riverside County, the fourth largest county in California. Although Riverside is in the purple category with a current infection rate of 11.3 per 100,000, Riverside has announced the resumption of contact sports. Several counties in the county will resume in-person tuition for elementary school students later this month.

Riverside County’s Corona-Norco Unified School District resumed in-person tuition for students in transition kindergarten to sixth grade on Monday with a state-granted waiver based on lower infection rates. Other school districts are expected to follow. The Temecula Valley School District on Riverside is pushing the reopening on March 15th.

The two largest districts in San Diego County plan to expand and reopen once the county reaches red level status. The Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) plans to have 10 percent of students back on campus by April 12, starting with teachers volunteering in-person and virtual classes.

In addition, in a memorandum of understanding sent to educators on Wednesday, the district and the Sweetwater Education Association (SEA) agreed to return teachers and staff from ten school locations in the district on May 3 due to the distribution of the vaccine Sending classrooms was first made available for these teachers. The date for the rest of the staff has not yet been set. The San Diego Unified School District has reached a tentative agreement with the San Diego Education Association (SDEA) to extend the reopening on April 12th.

Despite advances in declining coronavirus-related numbers, health officials are warning that reopening early could lead to a deadly resurgence of the pandemic and its variants. Dr. Anthony Fauci recently told CNN’s State of the Union that the new COVID-19 variants discovered in California and New York were “worrying.” He warned of measures such as the recent lifting of indoor dining capacity restrictions in Massachusetts.

This was confirmed by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Rochelle Walensky, affirmed last week, said the two variants “appear to be spreading more easily and are contributing more to a large proportion of the current infections in those areas that give urgency to the situation. “

Fauci and other researchers said the spread of the native strains and variant B.1.1.7 “UK” could lead to a different strain that would elude the effects of the current vaccines. The CDC predicts that the British variety will be the dominant variety in the US by the end of March.

The easing of restrictions and the reopening of schools in California’s most restrictive plains will set the stage for another deadly upswing. The pandemic will only be stopped by closing schools and non-essential jobs, combined with swift vaccination of the population.

Only by uniting educators and other sections of the workforce, including healthcare and logistics workers, can a powerful movement be built to stop the deadly reopening of schools.

This Saturday, March 6th, at 2:00 pm PST, the simple West Coast Educational Safety Committees are holding a special event titled “Unite Workers to Keep West Coast Schools Out!” For all educators, parents, and other workers interested in fighting school reopening, sign up to attend this important gathering!

Join the Educators Safety Committee!

We are building a network of simple educators, students, parents and workers to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.

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