Livermore school district keeping students indoors due to poor air quality

LIVERMORE, Calif. (KGO) -- Livermore is the worst spot for air quality Thursday morning, but schools in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District are open.

LIST: Schools closed in Bay Area due to Camp Fire smoke

Air quality was at "very unhealthy" levels, but that wasn't enough to close schools in the area.

Rain or shine, or smoke, crossing guard Barbara Ruiz is helping kids in front of Rancho Las Positas Elementary School in Livermore.

"Sometimes you know I'm coughing. It's tight. But I'm OK. I'm as good as anybody else around here," says Ruiz.

Rancho Las Positas Elementary has been dealing with the bad air since last Friday.

RELATED: Check current Bay Area air quality levels

Blacktops are empty. Kids are indoors. Being outside is not an option, but parents can keep their kids at home if it makes them feel better.

Principal Steve Martin says, "If they want to keep their kids home, it's an excused absence. It's not going to count against their attendance."

Some parents we spoke with decided it really didn't matter if their kids were indoors at home or indoors at school, so they might as well be in class.

Mandeep Bansal wrapped his kids up in scarves.

Bansal explained, "So it can protect their nose. So they won't inhale the smoke that much."

Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District says students will be kept indoors until the air quality improves.

See more stories, photos and videos on the Camp Fire in Butte County.