DOVER, Fla. — The first in-person meeting of the Florida Board of Education since February happened Wednesday at Strawberry Crest High School.
Hillsborough Schools Superintendent Addison Davis and Gov. Ron DeSantis were among those in attendance, along with protesters pushing for the school return to be delayed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Local teachers took part in protest, calling for the opening of schools to be delayed in August.
They are asking for 14 consecutive days of no positive COVID-19 tests in Hillsborough County before brick and mortar schools reopen.
Davis said he will reveal his most updated plan to the school board Thursday but acknowledged there could be changes.
"We don't have a playbook," he said.
"Face to face is the best way to connect with our children," Davis said. "One thing I've learned is that parents want choice."
Meanwhile, Gov. DeSantis echoed those sentiments, adding safety remains key.
"I know folks are antsy about what exactly is going to happen (regarding schools opening,)" DeSantis said.
"The right decision is to get it right," he said. "I'm confident that it can be done."
Jennifer Kious, a teacher at Durant High School, is leading the local push to tap the breaks on schools reopening.
"If I have 30 kids in a class, and I teach seven classes a day. That's going to be insane," Kious said.
She said the district could see as many as 250,000 staff and students back on campuses if schools reopen.
Kious said that large number, along with a lack of PPE, a lack of funding for cleaning supplies, and unclear quarantine procedures for dealing with a student or teacher who tests positive, the unknown of the virus like quarantine measures if a student or teacher gets sick, are all leading to apprehension among teachers who fear the school system could accelerate the spread of coronavirus.
"There are a lot of questions that haven't been thoughtfully answered," Kious said. "And frankly, it's dangerous to go back to school in a situation where we don't know any of the answers to these questions."
State Board of Education member Ryan Petty said he understands teachers' concerns but supports schools reopening classrooms.
"By creating that great social distancing between students and teachers and then following all the CDC guidelines and that we have put in, our department of education plan, I think we can keep teachers and students safe," Petty said.
As the debate continues about the opening of schools, the clock is ticking for parents in Hillsborough County.
They have to make a decision in a declaration of intent survey by Friday whether their kids will go back to the classroom or learn from home to start the school year.
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