The Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, along with teachers and parents, have filed a lawsuit on Monday against Gov. Ron DeSantis opposing the reopening of schools in the fall.
What We Know:
- On Monday, the President of the Florida Education Association Fedrick Ingram announced they filed a suit against Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez, the Florida Department of Education and the Florida State Board of Education. The lawsuit has been filed in state circuit court in Miami, in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida.
“Gov. DeSantis needs a reality check, and we are attempting to provide one,” said FEA President Fedrick Ingram in a statement. “The governor needs to accept the reality of the situation here in Florida, where the virus is surging out of control.”
- The suit intends to stop the “reckless” and “unsafe” reopening of public school campuses as coronavirus infections surge statewide. The lawsuit states that enforcing unsafe in-person instruction violates Florida’s constitution.
- On July 6th, the state’s Commissioner of the Department of Education, Richard Corcoran, issued an emergency order requiring all “brick and mortar schools” to open “at least five days per week for all students“. Under the order, schools must reopen in full to “ensure the quality and continuity of the educational process, the comprehensive wellbeing of students and families, and a return to Florida hitting its full economic stride”.
- In a press conference on Monday, DeSantis distanced himself from the emergency order issued by the Florida Department of Education regarding school reopening. He went on to say that parents should be given a choice as to what is the best option for their families, whether it’s virtual-learning, in-class schooling, or a combination of the two.
I recently addressed the State Board of Education. I believe that we need to empower parents to make the best choice for their kids this upcoming school year. I’m confident we will get through this. pic.twitter.com/juYwAWEAyF
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) July 20, 2020
- Florida is facing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 infected rates. The state’s health department reported 12,523 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, marking the fifth consecutive day the hot-spot state reported more than 10,000 cases. Many health experts warn that the sunshine state is on it’s way to becoming the epicenter for the pandemic.
In a recorded Zoom video today, FEA President Fedrick Ingram said the lawsuit is seeking to put control and education back “where it belongs, to locally elected school board members and superintendents”.
