Lee county teachers, parents challenge school reopening plans

A groups of 100+ Lee county teachers, parents gathered Friday for a car parade to challenge school reopening plans in the state.

THE SAFEST WAY TO HEAD TO BACKTO SCHOOL... IS TOPIC THAT’SBEEN UP FOR DEBATE FOR SOMETIME.THIS AFTERNOON A GROUP OFPARENTS, LOCAL SCHOOL STAFF ANDSTUDENTS, HELD A CAR PARADE TOLET THE COMMUNITY AND THEGOVERNOR KNOW HOW *THEY FEEL.FOX 4’S ROCHELLE ALLEYNE WASTHERE.(35-39)(116-129)"honking"YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THEM..(quick shots)"honk, honk, honk"BUT IF YOU WERE ANYWHERE NEARDOWNTOWN FORT MYERS FRIDAY...YOUPROBABLY HEARD THEM."honking"A CARAVAN...MORE THAN 100 CARSSTRONG...ALL CALLING FOR A SAFERETURN TO SCHOOL THIS FALL."I think there’s a lot ofteachers who have a certainlevel of angst and concern aboutgoing into the classroom rightnow.""They’re terrified."IN THE WAKE OF A PANDEMIC...ANDSURGING POSITIVE COVID-19 CASESIN OUR STATE...MANY TEACHERS INTHE GROUP SAID THEY’D LIKE MORETIME TO PREPARE..."I’m in favor of pushing backthe start date so we can getmore time to talk about thethings we need to talk about."TO AVOID SPREADING THEVIRUS...THE GROUP SAYS A VIRTUALSTART TO THE YEAR WOULD BE BEST."There will be a vaccine, therewill be better treatment, but atthe start what’s safest for thestudents now?"THE GROUP SAYS THEY’RE HOPINGTHEIR MESSAGE REACHES THEGOVERNOR AND STATE DEPARTMENT OFEDUCATION...WHO ARE ORDERINGSCHOOLS REOPEN NEXT MONTH...ANDMANDATING THAT THEY OFFERIN-PERSON CLASSES.A LOCAL COUNSELOR SAYS THESE AREHER TOP CONCERNS ABOUT THATPLAN."First one would be health andsafety for everybody, secondwould be making sure we’re wellprepared to launch programmingand curriculum and management ofkids in the buildings.

And thirdwould be concern for thecommunity at large."FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVEUNTIL THE END OF JULY TO SUBMITTHEIR REOPENING PLANS TO THESTATE.IN FORT MYERS, ROCHELLE ALLEYNE,FOX 4, IYC.ONLINE SCHOOLING OPTIONS AREAPPEALING TO PARENTS WANTING TOLOWER THE RISK OF THEIR CHILDRENBEING EXPOSED TO THECORONAVIRUBUT AS 4 IN YOUR CORNER