Elizabeth Andersen on First Coast Connect

 In my opinion, she didn't do very well, and I would encourage you to listen to it.  

https://news.wjct.org/post/covid-vaccine-priority-holocaust-rememberance-day-jax-film-festival-adapt

Look, I know Andersen is smart, and she cares, heck I liked her enough to donate 800 dollars to her when she ran for SB, but you know what all that gets us? More demoralized, sick, and worse, students and staff. As she tries to play paddy cake with DeSantis and keep the republicans at the beach satiated. She is blowing her moment. We need her to fight for students and staff, and if she doesn’t get that, if she’s not up to it, she needs to get out of the way and let somebody who will lead. 

Andersen has been getting a lot of credit for writing a letter to Desantis requesting teachers be vaccinated. It only took three deaths and dozens of other letters from school boards across the state to get her to do so. This is the bare minimum of six weeks late. 

During the interview, Mellissa Ross gave her opportunity after opportunity to call out Desantis, but she refused. Um, what does she think is going to happen? He will ignore her and do what he can to hurt public schools? Spoiler, he’s already doing that in spades.   

When the district's woeful contact tracing came up, she passed the buck to the DOH. This is the same DOH that for months refused to give any guidance and we know is politically compromised by Desantis, who wants herd immunity at any cost.  She must know they aren’t up for the task, and I, for one, am sick and tired of the district absolving themselves of responsibility while people are getting sick. If you know something is bad or wrong, you try and change it, or that’s what leaders are supposed to do. 

Then Ross asked her what the district was going to do if Desantis ignored her request, and she said, well, we will have to keep doing the same. Here is another spoiler what the district is doing isn’t working, and there is a lot of things the district can be doing. 

-The district could cancel all district tests; it’s a pandemic, people are stressed enough, and it will keep people out of the schools. 

- The district could explain to people that despite their mitigation efforts, and I remind you, mitigation means slow; they just can’t keep safe in our schools and encourage families that can go to DHR. This would help with social distancing, which is a lie, and she basically admitted that during the interview. 

-Finally, and most importantly, when there is a case in a class, teachers and families should be notified immediately so they can make decisions for their and their family’s welfare, and that includes allowing staff to take COVID relief days. Furthermore, they could recommend, not require but recommend they quarantine for five days and get a test.    

The district could do all this tomorrow if it wanted too and it should have done it months ago. 

We could and should be doing better, why we aren’t is a %$# @#& mystery, no make that a tragedy.