Florida educators have filed a lawsuit to overturn the state’s emergency order for schools to open for in-person instruction next month.
Florida Education Association President Fedrick Ingram announced the lawsuit against Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez, Florida Department of Education and the Florida State Board of Education. The lawsuit was filed in Circuit 11 court in Miami.
Corcoran issued the emergency order earlier this month, requiring that all “physical schools” open “at least five days a week for all students.”
“We think that is reckless,” Ingram said of the executive order. “We believe it is inconceivable, and we also believe that the executive order is unconstitutional.”
“No one wants to go back to the classroom and reopen our school more than educators,” Ingram added. “But we want to do it safely. And we don’t want to put people at risk. “
Leaders of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association joined the press conference in support of the lawsuit. AFT President Randi Weingarten said DeSantis, who has been pushing for schools to reopen, is in “intense denial.”
“As a national affiliate, we will do everything we can to make sure that not only our members are safe, but our community is safe and that we do not lose a generation of children due to denial and recklessness,” Weingarten said. said.
NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia said “it is a false choice to keep schools closed to stop learning or to open them unsafely.”
In addition to union leaders, Florida teachers also joined the virtual news conference to cast their support.
Stefanie Miller, who had Covid and was on a respirator for 21 days, has been a teacher in Broward County for 22 years.
“I don’t wish this on anyone,” Miller said of his recovery from the virus. “I, of course, want to teach again, but it must be safe. There is no way that children can sit in their seats for six hours, wear a mask, and not feel the stress of this situation. Online teaching is not optimal, but it is better to keep teachers, staff and families safe. “
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