LAUSD says Pali High is safe for students to return to after fire. Some parents and experts have concerns

"The Los Angeles Unified School District released a litany of test results for the fire-damaged Palisades Charter High School ahead of the planned return of students next week, showing the district's remediation efforts have removed much of the post-fire contamination. However, some parents remain concerned with a perceived rush to repopulate the campus. And while experts commended the efforts as one of the most comprehensive post-fire school remediations in modern history, they warned the district failed to test for a key family of air contaminants that can increase cancer risk and cause illness."

""I think they jumped the gun," said a parent of one Pali High sophomore, who asked not to be named because she feared backlash for her child. "I'm quite angry, and I'm very scared. My kid wants to go back. ... I don't want to give him too much information because he has a lot of anxiety around all of these changes.""

"The 2025 Palisades fire destroyed multiple buildings on Pali High's campus and deposited soot and ash in others. Following the fire, the school operated virtually for several months and, in mid-April of 2025, moved into a former Sears department store in Santa Monica. Meanwhile, on campus, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cleared debris from the destroyed structures, and LAUSD hired certified environmental remediation and testing companies to restore the still-standing buildings to a safe condition."

LAUSD testing indicates remediation removed much post-fire contamination at Palisades Charter High School. Experts praised the remediation as comprehensive but warned the district did not test for a key family of air contaminants linked to cancer risk and illness. Some parents expressed concern that reopening the campus is rushed and feared health and anxiety impacts on students. One parent said she plans to return her child to avoid further disruption after months of virtual instruction. Federal agencies cleared debris and LAUSD hired certified remediation and testing firms to restore standing buildings while the charter school's leadership decided on repopulation.

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