CAPE CORAL, Fla – As many Southwest Florida students prepare to head back to school at the end of this month, there’s new developments when it comes to the lawsuit filed by the Florida Education Association over the mandated reopening.
Attorneys for the FEA have filed an emergency motion to allow districts to delay opening until COVID-19 cases decline.
A judge has scheduled hearings for Thursday and Friday.
This follows a zoom meeting Wednesday, where attorneys for the state's largest teacher's union met with a judge, and asked to allow districts the option to delay the start of in-person classes.
You may recall we reported on when this lawsuit was initially filed back in July.
The suit is filed against the governor, Florida Department of Education, the Education Commissioner and more. It's all in response to that emergency order mandating districts to reopen brick-and-mortar schools.
While some districts like Broward and Miami-Dade still plan to start the school year remote, schools in our area will reopen at the end of this month. That's despite hundreds gathering earlier this week for a peaceful car rally in support of a fully remote start.
In new court documents, the FEA said it's unreasonably dangerous to send kids back to school and could lead to quote "severe and irreparable human consequences."
Attorneys representing the governor and the state Board of Education said Wednesday that they plan to appeal the decision to a third district court of appeals.
If the injunction prevails, school districts statewide would get a choice...
To keep school buildings closed and opt for an all-virtual curriculum…or choose a blended model.
