In California, inconsistent school COVID rules are the norm

By JOCELYN GECKER
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Now that schools are back in session, parents are mastering this year’s new school vocabulary: Modified quarantine, antigen vs. PCR testing and other pandemic-era protocols. But aside from a common pandemic lingo there is little similarity in how California schools are applying COVID-19 rules, leading to a dizzying patchwork of approaches that parents say can be confusing and frustrating. Some schools have extensive testing programs, others don’t. Some require students to be vaccinated, but many don’t. There are varying rules on outdoor masks, quarantining and even on annual traditions like homecoming.