Florida judge stops Republicans from reopening in-person classes statewide
The Sunshine State has two of the youngest reported victims of COVID-19. This ruling blasts GOP officials for dismissing safety protocols preventing its spread.
A Florida judge placed a temporary hold on forcing schools to reopen in-person classes on campuses across the Sunshine State.
Ruling against the wishes of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and other top officials in Florida, Judge Charles Dodson of Leon County has prevented the practice of in-person classes, criticizing the GOP for “essentially ignor[ing]” safety coronavirus protocols.
READ MORE: Florida, nearing 600,000 virus cases, records youngest COVID death in six-year-old girl
The reopening of schools five days a week amid the pandemic could cause the state to lose funding, The Hill reported.
Thirteen Florida counties already have reopened schools for in-person education.
Dodson also pinpointed that the July 6 school order by The Department of Education had unconstitutional portions. The judge said he could stop the order completely if it meant the policy provided better alternatives with local school boards.
“The districts have no meaningful alternative,” Judge Dodson opined. “If an individual school district chooses safety, that is, delaying the start of schools until it individually determines it is safe to do so for its county, it risks losing state funding, even though every student is being taught.”
Unionized Florida teachers who are part of the Florida Education Association (FEA) are satisfied with Dodson’s decision, as they want to promote a safer return to in-person learning, both for themselves and their students.
“The evidence demonstrated that some teachers are being told they must go back into classrooms under extremely unsafe conditions,” Dodson said in his ruling.
“Districts’ hands will not be tied as we continue the fight to protect students and educators in our public schools,” the FEA wrote in a tweet.
READ MORE: Black girl, 9, youngest person to die from COVID-19 in Florida
As theGrio previously reported, Florida, which has surpassed New York in the number of diagnosed coronavirus cases, does not have a statewide mask mandate in place.
Florida currently has two of the youngest coronavirus-related deaths, a six-year-old girl and a nine-year-old girl.
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