Last week, Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran issued an emergency order requiring all brick and mortar schools in the state to open for at least five days a week this fall.
A panel of educators from a group called Lee Educators for Safe Schools appeared on Gulf Coast Life today to discuss the coming semester. Though they had been making plans to get students back to school safely, president of the Teachers Association of Lee County, Kevin Daley, said he questions whether the 5-day-a-week mandate is the best way to go.
“Given the conditions in Lee County, right now and in Fla, is it really safe and is it really wise to put 96,000 students and 12,000 employees in close proximity for 7 hours a day?” he asked.
Some teachers and staff may be high risk based on age or medical conditions. Still, Carolyn Staehle, who teaches 2nd grade at Allen Park Elementary School, says that if the proper conditions are met, she is ready to go back to school.
“As long as I know there is a set plan in place and that the proper materials are going to be available to us, I don’t see myself having an issue going back,” she said
Lee Educators for Safe Schools will hold a Peaceful Car Parade Rally Friday at 4:30 starting at Broadway Palm Dinner Theater in Fort Myers.
