Florida public-school teachers (preschool through 12th grade) have been mandated to return to face-to-face instruction at least 5 days a week although there has been an increase in COVID-19 cases and there is no approved vaccine. There are no statewide measures to alert teachers, staff, or parents of infections, leaving millions vulnerable to the virus’ spread.

The CDC has stressed that individuals who are asymptomatic continue to serve as invisible contagions of COVID-19. Children can be, and are often asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19, and those with known or undiagnosed autoimmune illnesses can be fatally impacted (see Medical Examiner investigating death of Pasco teen who had COVID-19; Florida teen who died from COVID-19 attended church party). 
Reopening schools in August 2020 and without an approved vaccine would put teachers, students, and their families at risk and exponentially propagate the virus, which will strain already stressed medical, mental, and long-term health facilities. 

We are asking that distance learning options be available to all teachers, parents, and students and that Governor Desantis and Commissioner Corcoran do NOT mandate P-12 face-to-face classes until:

• There are 14 consecutive days of no new cases of COVID-19,
• August 2021, or
• a vaccine is approved.

Email the governor and commissioner of education to express your concerns about not mandating premature openings of Florida schools:

GovernorRon.Desantis@eog.myflorida.com 

Commissioner@fldoe.org