The state says schools can close at the guidance of their local health department. However, the local health department says they don't have the authority to advise schools to close. UM, WHAT!!!!
Andrew Atterbury, education reporter for politic tweeted this.
Andrew Atterbury, education reporter for politic tweeted this.
Who can decide when Florida schools should close?
“I do not have the authority as health officer to advise you to close schools or when to re-open,” Claudia Blackburn, Florida Department of Health in Leon County's Health Officer, said today during a task force meeting.
This despite getting consultation from health departments seems to be required.
Um, what? This may explain why Health Departments throughout the state haven't been very helpful.
From Florida Today,
When the order for all brick-and-mortar schools to open in August came down from Tallahassee on July 6, the state apparently gave worried school districts an out. Reopenings were "subject to advice and orders" of state health officials and "local departments of health," the document said.
When the order for all brick-and-mortar schools to open in August came down from Tallahassee on July 6, the state apparently gave worried school districts an out. Reopenings were "subject to advice and orders" of state health officials and "local departments of health," the document said.
It also said: "Absent these directives, the day-to-day decision to open or close a school must always rest locally with the board or executive most closely associated with a school."
The wording led school boards in at least three counties to believe they needed to seek advice on the safety of opening from their local health officials, many of whom served on local reopening task forces and worked closely with district leaders to craft their plans.
At least one county health leader apparently thought so, too. Dr. Alina Alonso, director of the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, on July 6 told the Palm Beach school district's health advisory committee the situation there was too dangerous to reopen schools. Based on her guidance, the committee — and later, the Palm Beach School Board — agreed to keep campuses closed.
But days later, Alonso refused to put her recommendation in writing, the Palm Beach Post reported.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Orange County School Board on Tuesday vented at local health chief Dr. Raul Pino for his refusal to advise them on the same question.
In Brevard County, too, school board members have been denied local guidance on whether it is safe to open schools. At the July 9 workshop, Seibert told School Board Chairwoman Misty Belford the local DOH "cannot make that decision."
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/07/20/health-officials-wont-or-cant-say-if-schools-safe-open/5456874002/
UM, WHAT?!?
Jacksonville Superintendent said they haven't even talked to the Health Department and if they don't hear from them by Tuesday they are just going to wing it.
Watch the video at the 5:20 Mark.
UM, WHAT?!?
One of the reasons to keep schools closed is to stop the spread in society. Opening them up to risks the spread and closing the state down again. Florida's leaders are so desperate for a week or two of daycare they are willing to risk lives and the Future of Florida itself.
This does not make sense, none of this makes any sense.
Hey Bud, I saw your folks taking down your opponent's political signs on San Jose Blvd. Make no mistake, we ARE watching you.
ReplyDeleteI have two folks, me and my wife, which of us did you see? Also we're missing about fifty signs, could you watch out for them too?
DeleteThe state has found the perfect catch-22. Dump it on the local health departments while knowing they have no authority to render a decision on school closing. It doesn't get more political than that. I'm not sure why we even bother to teach science in schools if they're just going to ignore it and make up their own facts. I'm shocked DCPS hasn't even bothered to ask the local health board for a decision if for no other reason than to get this absurdity on the record. If you are sick do you wait for the doctor to call you or do you call the doctor first?
ReplyDelete