LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — The judge's ruling against the Department of Education's order to reopen schools affects the entire state, and people in Leon County are already reacting to the news, some saying this is a step in the right direction.
As the Leon County School board works to uphold current plans to reopen in one week, some are hoping they will take immediate action to further delay reopening brick and mortar classrooms.
Max Epstein recently attended a school board meeting in person, despite his own concerns about safety, in order to advocate on behalf of Leon County School teachers.
He says he’s grateful to Judge Dodson for considering how many teachers feared for their lives due to being forced back into brick and mortar schools and urges the Leon County School board to make different decisions about reopening since their funding isn’t on the line.
“It’s important that he struck down the part of the executive order that ties funding to opening brick and mortar schools," said Epstein. "So now there is no excuse to re-open on August 31.”
At one point, superintendent Rocky Hanna did go on record encouraging people who can do so to allow their students to do remote learning.
So far, at least 15,000 of over 30,000 students in the district say they plan to attend classes digitally this fall.
