United Faculty of Florida says school reopenings risk death of 2,000 students

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Professors and students plea for higher learning institutions in Florida to return in the fall remotely.

The United Faculty of Florida in a press conference said the risk is too high to return to classrooms as coronavirus cases across the state continue to rise.

There are over one million students attending public colleges and universities in Florida. Most of those institutions are in smaller towns.

The UFF says with tens of thousands of students enrolled at these schools, campuses would be a breeding ground.

Monday, the UFF, joined by members of the Florida Education Association, called for the Governor and Board of Governors to reconsider reopening higher learning institutions this fall.

The union represents 28 of higher education insitutions in Florida.

They say 61 percent of those schools haven’t updated their reopening plans since July 1 with little to no plans if someone was to get infected.

With young adults contracting and spreading the virus at an alarming rate they feel it’s a dangerous move.

”We know we’re going to have cases and we do not want the confined spaces that are our campuses to become super spreader sites in our communities,” said Karen Morian, the president of UFF.

Data projections presented Monday show institutions will risk the deaths of 2,000 students, and the hospitalization of 25,000 students if they return in the fall.

The union says the majority of their faculty are in the high-risk category.

They have sent a letter to the Governor regarding their concerns.

The union says opening face to face classes in the spring would give the state time to flatten the curve.

Although they received support from the FEA they say they have no plans right now to sue the state.