As summer is coming to a close in the time of COVID-19, the thought at the forefront of every parent's mind is what are we going to do about the next school year. Though most of the country's infection numbers are rising, many state officials announced that come fall, schools would reopen. Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis was among them, issuing an emergency order requiring all public schools to reopen five days a week starting in August.
On Monday, July 20, the American Federation of Teachers — the nation's largest teachers union — and its local affiliate, the Florida Education Association, sued DeSantis over the decision.
The lawsuit, which was filed in a Miami state court, asked a judge to block DeSantis' mandate.
According to The Hill, the union cited that the mandate would "Force millions of public school students and employees to report to brick and mortar schools that should remain closed during the resurgence of COVID-19 cases."
On July 20 alone, Florida reported an additional 10,000 cases, bringing the state's current number of positive cases to a staggering 337,569.
The teachers union is hoping the lawsuit serves as a "reality check" for the governor.
FEA President Fedrick Ingram said in a statement Monday:
"The governor needs to accept the reality of the situation here in Florida, where the virus is surging out of control. He needs to accept the evolving science. Everyone wants schools to reopen, but we don’t want to begin in-person teaching, face an explosion of cases and sickness, then be forced to return to distance learning."
But Florida Department of Education spokesperson Taryn Fenske thinks the complaint is utterly unfounded.
Fenske defended the executive order, saying it merely provided Floridian families with the choice on what what they could do for their children: Either send them in or keep them home.
"Additionally, the order created guaranteed funding for districts and schools to educate innovatively, as long as they continue to provide all students, especially at-risk students, with a world-class education, no matter what option they choose," she said in a statement.
She also noted that should the FEA succeed, funding guarantees were as good as "eliminated."
Earlier in July, DeSantis justified his school openings by comparing schools to businesses, like Walmart and Home Depot.
"If fast food and Walmart and Home Depot — and, look, I do all that, so I'm not looking down on it — but if all that is essential, then educating our kids is absolutely essential."
The lawsuit further states that the executive order directly puts teachers and school families in imminent danger.
The unions allege that many schools are actually fearful of losing funding if they don't comply with the order, and that it strips schools of their rights to rely on their own educational boards.
"Florida's Constitution demands that public schools be safe," Ingram said. "Teachers and parents want our schools to meet that basic standard."
