NewsLocal News

Actions

Tallahassee, Leon County commissioners send letter to Gov. DeSantis demanding that schools stay closed

Posted at 1:38 PM, Jul 31, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-31 13:38:28-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Tallahassee Commissioner Jeremy Matlow and Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor are demanding that physical classrooms stay closed, calling it life or death.

During a press conference on Friday, the commissioners said that they would ask Governor Ron DeSantis to submit an emergency action plan to keep schools closed and appoint a new safety task force.

Commissioner Proctor cited prior cases at Griffin, Riley and Fort Braden as examples of what could occur around the state.

"Everything you look at on these graphs points upward," Proctor said.

In the letter the commissioners wrote to DeSantis, they contend that the state is "in a perilous moment like never before."

"Death totals in our state have trended upward at an exponential pace," the letter reads. "If the death totals are to decline, then you must order all Florida schools to remain close [sic] indefinitely with school openings based up thresholds driven by competent data."

As part of their demands, they're asking Gov. DeSantis to do three things:

  1. Mandate all Florida schools remain closed until further notice
  2. Appoint a new Florida Task Force on schools reopening
  3. Appoint a Special Needs Advisory Team

We've reached out to the Governor's Office to see if they have a response. We are still waiting to hear back.