Jacksonville, Fla. — A Duval County middle school teacher is calling on Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, to halt opening schools for in-person learning, five days a week.
Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole spoke to the teacher who said the choice between providing an education and saving lives should be an easy one.
“Kids will die. Many teachers will die. Many family members will die,” Mark Thompson said.
And these are all deaths Thompson says can be prevented.
The teacher, going into his 4th year of educating young minds, sent a two-page letter to Governor DeSantis, urging him to reconsider his decision.
“I just want the governor and state leadership to understand that not everyone is OK with this,” Thompson told Action News Jax.
In the letter, the middle school teacher expressed his concern for the safety of his students, co-workers and his wife, who is immunocompromised.
An Open to Letter to Florid... by ActionNewsJax on Scribd
“We want to teach students, but this is not necessary. To force teachers to make this choice of buying my own PPE, sending my wife or other loved ones to live somewhere else,” Thompson said.
Thompson said he understands how much virtual learning could set students back academically, but says leadership should have enough faith educators will be able to fill in the gaps.
“It’s choosing between your district math scores or risking your child’s life, risking teachers lives. And to me, it’s an easy choice. We should choose to save those lives, instead of standardized test scores,” said Thompson.
The local teacher told me there are other things that also tie teachers to the job, besides their love and concern for their students.
“For me, it’s about health insurance. I lose my job, my wife is an insurer,” Thompson said.
“State leadership across the country, and Florida is no exception, they’re not dumb. They know what’s going on. And at some point, the thought has to cross their minds of, ‘if we open schools this many kids will probably die.’ And if they’re choosing to open schools they’re OK with that number of kids dying. They’re OK with a number of teachers dying and family members,” Thompson told Action News Jax.
Thompson said he has not heard back from the Governor’s Office.
Cole reached out as well, also sending the Governor and his media office Thompson’s letter.
Here was the response she received:
“Duval County School District said they will be able to answer questions and concerns once their plan has been shared and discussed with the school board.”
The Florida Department Education also responded, via e-mail:
“Hi Courtney. We recognize that districts, schools and Florida families are working through challenging questions of optimizing learning, and education equity. Many school districts were asking for guidance from FDOE on a plethora of questions especially regarding funding. State law bases educational funding on a mix of inputs such as attendance and learning outcomes.
“We also recognize that many are considering options to support students and families with health concerns, so Commissioner Corcoran’s emergency order allows flexible pathways for school districts to provide quality education without sacrificing quality, equity, and opportunity for all students.
“This emergency order simply guides districts to compliance with state law, while giving them flexibility to meet the needs of the students they serve. We know that students learn best in front of a great teacher every day, and that’s why the main point is to offer a full-5 day school week. However, there is flexibility for those families that may want their student to learn in a different setting.
“Since employment is at the local level, teachers should work with their school district regarding staffing and any concerns they have. The Department has also issued guidance in its Recommendations to Re-Open Florida’s Schools and the CARES Act, specifically slide 47 which addresses protecting students, staff and families with medical vulnerabilities; slides 48 & 49 General Mitigation Strategies; and slides 56-59 CDC Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting.
“The state has a moral imperative to do our absolute best to return our schools to full operation by August. We simply cannot give into fear of the unknown and just stop trying. Our children’s education, the comprehensive health of our families --- mental health and stability in homes --- and our economy are all depending on us to make every effort to reopen our school campuses.
“At the same time, this order recognizes that the state and local departments of health will always guide us on the best and latest public health information.
“Feedback from Superintendents, many of whom were asking for yesterday’s guidance, has been very supportive.
“The Department has given three webinars so districts have an opportunity to ask questions and get clarification. See the links below to guidance on reopening schools and creating safe spaces for learning, including the Emergency Order, webinar recordings and slide decks. The slide deck from Monday, July 6 will be the most helpful in answering your questions about the flexibility provided to districts as they develop their reopening plans.
· July 8, 2020 - Re-Opening K-12 Schools Follow-up
· July 8, 2020 - Re-Opening K-12 Schools Follow-up - Webinar Recording
· July 7, 2020 - Re-Opening K-12 Schools Follow-Up
· July 7, 2020 - Reopening K-12 Schools Follow-Up - Slide Deck (PDF)
· July 7, 2020 - Reopening K-12 Schools Follow-Up - Webinar Recording
· July 6, 2020 - 2020-EO-06: Further Guidance for Closing Achievement Gaps and Creating Safe Spaces for Learning
· July 6, 2020: FDOE Order No. 2020-EO-06 - Reopening K-12 Schools (PDF)”