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Demonstrators Demand Florida Rescind State School Reopening Mandate

WFSU | By Tom Flanigan
Published July 27, 2020 at 8:15 PM EDT

Protestors opposed to the full reopening of Florida schools demonstrated near the Governor's Mansion Saturday evening. The group included students, educators and health care workers.

Nearly 100 demonstrators walked or drove from the State Department of Education Building to the Mansion.

Among the speakers was retired nurse Janet Timken.

"We are here to say we really don't think it will be safe for the schools to reopen," she proclaimed to loud applause.

Seventeen year old Leon High School Senior Maddie Kaji lost her grandfather to the virus a few months ago.

"I'm really angry that I have to convince our governor that teachers, students and their families shouldn't have to die for the economy," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

Marie-Claire Leman is a member of the task force looking at the reopening of Leon County Schools and asserted,

"Our school district is stuck between the FLDOE (Florida Department of Education) that is ordering fully opened schools subject to the advice of state and local health departments and a local health department that says it's actually not empowered to provide that advice."

The Leon School Board's next meeting is this Tuesday evening, July 28.

Copyright 2020 WFSU. To see more, visit WFSU.

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