Free Day Camp For Kids Opens As Sacramento Teacher Strike Continues
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- As Sacramento city teachers hit the picket lines for a third day Friday, families scrambled to find child care for their students and found one in a free day camp for kids K-12.
All 76 schools are closed as protests continue, which has many looking for activities for their kids.
Emereti Martinez dropped the kids off at the day camp to stay on a schedule. Her job is flexible, but not everyone is so lucky.
"Yes, it's hard," she said.
"I do in-home care," another mother at the day camp said. "It's been crazy trying to juggle with taking them to the store and things like that, with me trying to do everything."
And after a few days of protesters on the picket lines, everyone agreed.
"They were kind of driving each other crazy already," Martine said.
That's why dozens of families enrolled kids in a day camp at La Familia Maple Neighborhood Center in South Sacramento.
"We have coloring pages. We are going to put on a movie for them, outdoor activities with them, and then some of the games we have already implemented in our ongoing programs," a worker at the day camp said.
With negotiations between the Sacramento City Unified, teachers and staff at a standstill and picketers still protesting, parents wonder what will happen with their kids' curriculum.
"Only one of my daughters got a packet," Martinez said. "The other one didn't get nothing."
The neighborhood center is ready for the assignment if negotiations fail and schools, afterschool activities and sports remain closed.
"We have our health department, our career center, our Birth and Beyond program, our mental health program, our health team. Everyone is here," the worker said. "If this continues on, our goal and vision is to continue this program next week. The need is still there."
This day camp center had 100 spots available. Information on how to sign up can be found here for next week if both sides are still at an impasse.
