Schools will reopen fully in Florida as the state grapples with a significant surge in COVID-19 cases if things go as expected. However, more than 10,000 new cases of coronavirus made an appearance on Monday alone. Parents and teachers are rightfully concerned.
On Monday, the largest teachers union in Florida sued Gov. Ron DeSantis. This is because his administration continues to push for public schools to fully reopen next month despite the incredible surge of COVID-19 cases in the state. The teachers believe doing so is incredibly unsafe.
The Florida Education Association said that DeSantis and other state officials are violating a state constitutional mandate to keep schools “safe and secure.” The union’s goal is to halt the reopening edict.
Several defendants are named in the lawsuit, which was filed in state circuit court. DeSantis, the state Education Department, state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, and the State Board of Education. The filing will certainly escalate a debate nationwide over reopening schools during the pandemic.
“Gov. DeSantis needs a reality check, and we are attempting to provide one,” said Florida Education Association President Fedrick Ingram. “The governor needs to accept the reality of the situation here in Florida, where the virus is surging out of control.”
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An emergency order was issued this month by Corcoran that insisted schools were “not just the site of academic learning.” Instead, they are also places for “nutrition, socialization, counseling, and extracurricular activities.” Corcoran said reopening schools was crucial to Florida hitting “its full economic stride.”
The order requires all schools to open at least five days a week. In addition, DeSantis has recommended that schools reopen at full capacity so parents can return to work. The economy’s health is first and foremost.
However, both teachers and parents alike are very concerned about reopening schools too soon. This is because children aren’t likely to social distance themselves properly, or keep masks in place. Not to mention, many teachers and parents may be high-risk themselves.
The last thing teachers should worry about are things like AARP life insurance. Other states opted for safer measures that give parents more options. For example, NC schools give parents a choice over whether they’d like their child to be fully remote, or they can opt for one day a week in person.
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