A PACKED HOUR AHEAD OF A CAMPAIGN TRAIL DE BRIEF. ALSO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR
BROWARD STATE ASSEMBLY
ASSEMBLY BUT WE BEGIN CAN WITH
COVID ALREADY IN THE CLASSROOM.
>> JUST DAYS AFTER OPENING THE
FIRST CASSES AMIRED IN MIAMI
DADE SCHOOLS AND IN BROWARD SOME
TEACHERS ARE WONDERING IF THE
SCHOOLS WOULD BE A SAFE AND
HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
>> WE HAVE
PERFECT-- PERSPECTIVES FROM THE
STAKEHOLDERS, THOSE WHO HAD THE
TEACHERS UNIONS IN BOTH
COUNTIES, MIAMI DADE AND
BROWARD, CARLOS HERNANDEZ FROM
MIAMI TEACHERS DADE.
ANNA FROM BROWARD TEACHERS UNION
AND JOE WHO IS A PARENT
ACTIVIST, PAST PRESIDENT OF
MIAMI DADE PARENT TEACHER
ASSOCIATION AND DAD AND WE BEGIN
WITH THE TEACHERS.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING, LADIES.
ALL RIGHT, LET ME ASK YOU EACH,
GIVE US YOUR ASSESSMENT HERE.
WE HAD KIDS COME BACK, 142,000
IN BROWARD, ABOUT 25% OF
STUDENTS IN BROWARD COUNTY,
142,000 IN MIAMI DADE ANNA FUS
KOA, HOW IS IT GOING UP THERE IN
BROWARD?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS
ROLLED IN FRIDAY.
THEY SEEMED TO BE ANXIOUS, SOME
OF OUR PRECIOUS CARGO OF PRE-K
THROUGH SECOND GRADE AND OUR ES,
POPULATION, SOME OF OUR MOST
HEALTHWISE VULNERABLE STUDENTS.
THEY VISITED A FEW SCHOOLS.
THE KIDS SEEMED TO BE A LITTLE
SHY AND NERVOUS BECAUSE THEY
HAVEN’T BEEN IN A BRICK AND
MORTAR SINCE MARCH.
>> AND SOME FOR THE VERY FIRST
TIME SO THEY WANTED MOMMY AND
DADDY OR CARETAKER MAYBE.
OUR TEACHERS WERE LOTS OF
EMOTIONS.
EXCITED, NERVOUS, SOME
FRUSTRATED AS THE DAY WENT ON.
THERE WERE SOME GLUCHS.
CLOT LOTS OF CONCERNS ABOUT
HAVING TO MAINTAIN THAT SOCIAL
DISTANCE AND ARE CHURN ABLE TO
KEEP THEIR MASKS ON AND NOT WANT
TO TOUCH EVERYBODY AND TOUCH ON
EVERYTHING.
AND OF COURSE BROWARD IS USING
THE COMPONENT OF THAT SIN
CRONNIZED TEACHER WHERE I’M IN A
PHYSICAL SETTING WITH MY
STUDENTS AND I MIGHT HAVE
ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 10nd THEN
I HAVE TO REACH MY STUDENTS THAT
ARE STILL CHOOSING TO STAY HOME
THE MOST.
>> WE’RE GOING TO GET INTO ALL
OF THAT TOO, BUT REALLY WANT TO
ADDRESS THE NEWS OF THE WEEK.
MIAMI DADE’S OPENING THIS WEEK
CAME WITH COVID IN THE
CLASSROOM.
CARLA HERNANDEZS MATLE THERE WAS
THE FIRST INKLING AT
WILLIAM-- ELEMENTARY THURSDAY,
LATER THURSDAY WE WERE HEARING
OF FOUR MORE, UTB, YOU CONFIRMED
SIX DIFFERENT CASES.
THE OFFICIAL DASH BOARD DIDN’T
REFLECT THAT YET.
OBVIOUSLY I JUST WANT TO PUT OUT
THERE, OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST WEEK,
THESE CHILDREN CAME INTO THE
CLASSROOM WITH COVID FROM THE
OUTSIDE BUT IS THIS INEVITABLE.
SURPRISING OR SOMEWHERE IN
BETWEEN.
>> THIS IS PRECISELY WHY WE DID
NOT WANT TO REOPEN OUR SCHOOLS
IN A RUSHED MANNER.
WE ARE STILL SEEING THAT COVID
NUMBERS HAVE NOT DRAMICALLY GONE
LOWER.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY INCREASING.
AND YOU KNOW WE’RE JUST
CONCERNED BECAUSE WE’RE SUSPECT
EVEN OF HOW OUR GOVERNMENT IS
REPORTING THESE NUMBERS.
WE KNOW OF AT LEAST 11 SCHOOLS
OUT THERE THAT HAVE REPORTED
SOMETHING.
AND TODAY THE DASH BOARD ONLY
SHOWS FIVE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A
VALIDATION OR VERIFICATION FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
BUT THE SAME GOVERNMENT IS THE
ONE THAT HAS THE INEFFECTIVE
UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM AND VOTER
REGISTRATION SYSTEM.
SO WHAT CAN WE EXPECT.
IF THIS VERY SUSPECT IS
UNEFFECTIVE AND WHAT WE NEED IS
OUR FAMILIES TO KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES, IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
BECAUSE PARENTS ARE GOING TO
MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER
THEY KEEP THEIR KIDS ONLINE
OR-- IN PERSON OR.
>> IF I MAY, CARLA EXCUSE ME.
LET ME PREAK IN AND ASK ABOUT
THAT.
ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON WE LEARNED
THAT A SCHOOL IN BOREAL HAD IN
FACT SENT OUT A ROBOCALL TO ALL
PARENTS SAYING WE HAVE ONE
STUDENT WHO HAS TESTED POSITIVE.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT WAS A
PROACTIVE AND THE RIGHT WAY TO
GO ABOUT IT.
NOW IS THAT A STANDARD POLICY
THROUGHOUT THE MIAMI DADE COUNTY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS?
>> WELL, I KNOW THERE WAS
ANOTHER ROBOCALL OUT OF ROYAL
GREEN ELEMENTARY THIS MORNING.
SO THERE IS ANOTHER CASE AT
ROYAL GREEN.
AND THAT IS GOOD.
WE WANT OUR PRINCIPALS TO BE
ABLE TO SAY THAT.
I JUST WISH THAT OUR DISTRICT
WOULD-- DISTRICT WOULD NOT RELY
ON THE GOVERNMENT.
THERE IS THIS FEAR OF
INTIMIDATION.
THEY WERE THREATENED ABOUT
LOSING FUNDING AND THAT IS WHY
THEY REOPENED SCHOOLS.
THEY FEEL LIKE ALL THESE THING
THIS HE HAVE TO DO AND GO
THROUGH THESE PROCESSES WHICH
ARE VERY BUREAUCRATIC, HONESTLY
WHAT WE WANT IS THEM TO HAVE
LOCAL CONTROL, MAKE DECISIONS
RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY, DECIDE
WHAT IS BEST AND POV FORWARD
THAT WAY.
WE HAVE A GOVERNOR IN THE TIME
OF A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC IS
ACTUALLY THREATENING TO TAKE
AWAY FUNDING FROM CHILDREN WHO
DOES THIS.
IT IS INCONCEIVABLE.
>> I WANT TO GET ANNA, PLEASE
WEIGH IN HERE.
CARLA IS TALKING ABOUT THE STATE
MANDATE TO OPEN SCHOOLS THIS
WEEK.
BROWARD AND DADE DID NOT WANT TO
DO THAT.
THAT IS CLEAR AND THAT’S PUBLIC.
BUT THEY DID.
RETURN LOSE FUNDING.
AND BOTH DISTRICTS SAID THEY
WERE ABLE TO BE READY, DID YOU
SEE THIS WEEK, WAS THE DISTRICT
READY?
>> NO, OUR DISTRICT IS NOT
READY.
THEY NEEDED MORE TIME.
THEY HAD MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE
EMPLOYMENT GROUPS THAT HAD TO
WORK EXTRA HOURS OVERTIME TO
MAKE IT AS READY AS POSSIBLE.
WE STILL HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT
DIDN’T HAVE THEIR PPE.
THEY HAD TO SEND OUT EDUCATORS
TO GO COLLECT IT.
OUR WATER FOUNTAINS AREN’T
COMPATIBLE FOR THE STUDENTS.
THEY HAD TO BE SENT TO THOUSANDS
OF WATER BOTTLES DELIVERED.
THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN.
PEOPLE WERE PICKING UP THEIR
EQUIPMENT.
AND YOU’RE GOING TO READ REAL
SOON BROWARD COUNTY IS RIGHT
THERE WITH THAT LIST OF TWO
SCHOOLS THAT HAVE POSITIVE CASES
IN IT.
WHERE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO QUARANTINE
BECAUSE OF POSITIVE TESTING.
>> IF I CAN, CARLA, LET MAY
PURSUE SOMETHING HERE.
MIAMI DADE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
ALBERTO CARVALLO SAID A COUPLE
OF TIMESES AS THE WEEKS ENT ON,
WE HAVE GIVEN THE SCHOOLS EVERY
BIT OF EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED,
HAND SANITIZER, WIPES, PPE
EQUIPMENT, AND WE’RE READY TO
GO.
ON THE OTHER HAND YOU ISSUED AN
APPEAL, I THINK MID WEEK AND
SAID HEY, OUR TEACHERS NEED HAND
SANITIZER AND WIPES AND OTHER
EQUIPMENT TO MAKE THESE
CLASSROOMS SAFE.
SO WHO IS RIGHT.
WERE YOU RIGHT OR IS THE
SUPERINTENDENT RIGHT.
>> WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THIS.
I WILL GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT
IS DUE AND I WILL SAY THIS.
THAT I KNOW THAT THE
SUPERINTENDENT HAS BEEN TRYING
TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL SCHOOLS
HAVE EVERYTING THAT THEY NEED.
AND THAT THEY ARE READY FOR THE
INTAKE OF STUDENTS.
THE REALITY IS THAT NOT ALL
SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN PREPARED WITH
THE SAME KIND OF EQUIPMENT.
I ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE RUN
OUT.
WE MADE A COLLECTION CALL, A
COMMUNITY DRIVE FOR THIS PPE,
FOR THIS DISINFECT ANT WIPES AND
ALCOHOL AND WE ARE OUT OF WIPES.
WE ARE OUT OF ALCOHOL.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A LOT OF MASKS
AND SHIELDS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN GIVING THEM OUT
WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS, TAKE
AS MANY MASK AND SHIELDS IF THAT
YOU WANT.
IF EVERYBODY HAD EVERYTHING THEY
NEED, THIS COLLECTION, THIS
DRIVE WE ARE HAVING WOULD BE
IRRELEVANT.
AND I’M TELLING YOU THAT I AM
OUT OF DISINFECTING WIPES.
I’M OUT OF THINGS THAT TEACHERS
NEED INSIDE THE CLASSROOM.
SO I THINK HE IS DOING WHATEVER
THE GOVERNMENT IS ALLOWING HIM
TO DOND THE MONEY THAT HE IS
ALLOWED TO GET.
WHICH I’M SURE THERE ARE BACK
ORDERS ON A LOT OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT NOT
EVERY CLASSROOM HAS BEEN FULLY
STOCKED WITH THE THINGS THAT
TEACHERS NEED IN ORDER TO FEEL
SAFE IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
>> ALL RIGHT, THAT CALL IS OUT.
AND I WANT TO GO BACK TO
SOMETHING YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
SUN CRONNIZED TEACHING.
I’M NOT QUAIT SURE THAT PEOPLE
WERE NOT IN THE CLASSROOM
REALIZE WHAT THAT ENTAILS.
REALLY BRIEFLY, IS IT AN
EFFECTIVE WAY, CAN IT BE, I
SUPPOSE IS A BETTER QUESTION,
CAN THIS REALLY BE EFFECTIVE
WHEN A TEACHER IS TEACHING IN A
CLASSROOM AND ONLINE AT THE SAME
TIME?
>> I DON’T BELIEVE IT CAN BE
EFFECTIVE IT SAUL BRAND NEW,
ESPECIALLY TO OUR EDUCATORS WITH
OUR PRE-K, TO OUR MOST HANDS ON
NEEDY STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE IN
A PHYSICAL CAPACITY T IS GOING
TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE STUDENTS
THAT THEM THEMSELVES OR PARENTS
CHOSE FOR THEM TO STAY HOME AND
WORK REMOTE IT IS GOING TO BE
THE NOT BE OF EQUAL POSITION.
SO WE HAVE ASKED FOR THIS NOT TO
HAPPEN AND CAN I TELL YOU RIGHT
NOW THAT THAT WAS OUR NUMBER ONE
COMPLAINT ABOUT BEING EXHAUSTED
AND YOU KNOW, PUT OUT THE FEAR
OF HAVING THE COVID SPREAD IN
OUR SCHOOL SITES.
SO WE KNOW THAT IT IS SOMETHING
THAT WE HAVE ASKED NOT TO
HAPPEN.
WE HAVE A PARTICULAR BOARD
MEMBER WHO WAS HAS NEVER TAUGHT
A MOMENT IN HER LIFE WHO SEEMS
TO FEEL THAT IT IS THE WAY TO
GO.
IT MIGHT WORK ON COLLEGE LEVEL
BUT RIGHT NOW IN OUR EDUCATION
SYSTEM IN BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS WHO
HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A CLASSROOM
SETTING, THEY NEED UNDIVIDED
ATTENTION FROM THE EDUCATORS.
>> ANNA, WE GET YOUR POINT, WE
THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YR TIME.
ANNA FROM THE BUT ARD TEACHERS
UNION.
CARLA HERNANDEZ MATZ FROM UNITED
TEACHERS OF DADE, THANKS VERY
MUCH, AND YOU ARE ON THE CASE.
NOW WE WANT TO TURN AND GET A
PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE.
>> OF COURSE THOSE ARE VARIED.
PARENT JOE JABARA JOINS US, PAST
PRESIDENT OF MIAMI DADE PARENT
TEACHER ASSOCIATION.
MORE IMMEDIATELY HE IS DAD.
AND A REALLY ENGAGED DAD IN
MIAMI DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
JOE T IS GREAT TO SEE YOU AND
THANKSES SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH
US TODAY.
I WANT TO JUST LET EVERYONE KNOW
YOUR DAUGHTER IS A SENIOR AN
YOUR SON HAS GRADUATED AND ARE
YOU STILL IN IT.
AND I WANT TO GET A PARENT’S
LOOK AT THIS.
BUT FIRST I WANT TO TELL YOU
THAT I MET A LOT OF PARENTS AT
WILLIAM LAYMAN WHERE THERE IS A
CASE THIS WEEK.
WHO OF COURSE ARE CONCERNED BUT
ARE NOT DE TERRED TERRED FROM SE
THEIR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS
BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY’RE
GOING TO BE PREPARED.
THIS IS LIFE.
THEY’RE GOING TO DO IT AND
THEY’RE GOING BACK.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK
ON THE PROGRAM.
GLENNA, MICHAEL.
MY OPINION PEEK OF PARENTS, NOT
ONLY AM I MY NUMBER ONE ROLE, MY
NUMBER ONE HAT IS DAD, I ALSO
SERVE AS A PARENT AS THE
DISTRICT ADVISORY CHAIR FOR
TITLE 1.
AND HEARING FROM PARENTS, IT IS
LITERALLY SPLIT 50/50 IN MY
OPINION WHERE PARENTS ARE
WILLING TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO
SCHOOL KNOWING THE RISK.
AND THE RUSKS ARE THERE.
LET’S BE CLEAR WITH EACH OTHER.
THERE WILL BE MORE COVID CASES.
THERE ISN’T A CURE ORVAX EVEN,
TODAY JOHNS HOPKINS REPORTED 50
PLUS THOUSAND FOUR STRAIGHT DAYS
OF COVID IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE RISKS ARE.
THERE I TALK TO PARENTS SUCH AS
MYSELF WHO HAVE KIDS IN HIGH
SCHOOL AND THEY ARE MORE THAN
HAPPY TO LEAVE THE KIDS AT HOME.
AS AM I WITH MY DAUGHTER WHO SAY
SENIOR.
I WOULD LOVE FOR HER TO BE IN
SCHOOL AND I TRUST HER SCHOOL
AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
BUT AS A TYPE 1 DIE BET WALK
HYPERTENSION, I DON’T WANT THE
RUSK.
EITHER FOR MYSELF OR MY
DAUGHTER.
I SPEAK TO PARENTS WHO SAY JOE,
THE SOCIAL BENEFITS OF HAVING MY
KID AT SCHOOL WEARING A MASK,
SOCIAL DISTANCE TO THE BEST OF
THAWR CAPACITY, AND WASH WITHING
THEIR HANDS IS BETTER.
AND GLENNA, MICHAEL, I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE SCHOOLS SHOULD BE
OPEN, CHOICE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO
PARENTS AS IT HAS BEEN.
BECAUSE THERE ARE PLACES,
SCHOOLS ARE THE PLACES WHERE
KIDS ARE MOST SAFE, SOMETIMES.
WHERE THEY GET THOSE MEALS
SOMETIMES, AND WHERE THEY DPET
THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL BENEFIT OF
BEING AROUND OTHERS LUKE
THEMSELVES.
SO IT IS AW TOUGH CALL FOR MAY
AS A PARENT.
THAT CALL WAS VERY SIMPLE DUE TO
PREEXISTING CONDITIONS.
I DO TAKE THINK MY DAUGHTER’S
SCHOOL IS DOING
APPROXIMATELYICALLY WELL AND I
DON’T WANT TO TAKE THOSE RISKS.
IT IS A PARENTEE CHOICE, THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT GAUFF THEM THE
CHOICE TO BE AT HOME OR BE AT
THE SCHOOL HOUSE.
>> WELL, WE UNDERSTAND HOW
COMPLICATED THIS IS AND
ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS.
MY KIDS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL, BUT I
APPRECIATE YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU
ARE DOING AND WHAT ALL PARENTS
ARE DOING.
I MEAN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN
THIS COUNTRY HAVEN’T FACED THIS
KIND OF A SITUATION IN A
CENTURY.
AND THEY ARE BETTER AND THEY ARE
TRYING THEIR BEST TO EXOAP WITH
IT.
HOW DO YOU THINK MIAMI DADE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS DOING, JOE.
>> HERE IS WHAT I THINK.
I THINK THE SCHOOL DISTRUCT IS
DOING THE BEST WITHIN ITS
CAPACITY.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT THE TWO
UNION PRESIDENTS SAID.
LOCAL CONTROL.
AND IT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO
TALK MORE ABOUT AND SOMETHING I
HAVE BEEN EDUCATING PARENTS
ABOUT.
A SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO CHOOSE WHEN SCHOOLS
REOPEN.
I THINK THIS IS SOME WHAT OF A
RUSHED SITUATION GIVEN THE FACT
THAT RICHARD CORKORAN THE
COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION WAS
DANGLING A CARROT OF HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FUNDING
AND NINE ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE
SCHOOL BOARD, THOSE ELECTED BY
WE THE PEOPLE TO SPEAK FOR WE
THE PEOPLE WERE BASICALLY
SILENCED AND HAD TO REOPEN
OTHERWISE WE RISK LOSING
FUNDING.
KUDOS TO BROWARD FOR DELAYING IT
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT THOSE DECISIONS SHOULD BE
MADE BY THE SUPERINTENDENT.
HIS STAFF, AND THEN THEREFORE
VOTED ON BY THE BOARD.
>> JOE, CAN I JUST, IN THE SHORT
TIME WE HAVE TOGETHER.
I JUST WANT TO BINGE YOU BACK TO
SORT OF A PARENT’S ROLE.
IT DOESN’T ESCAPE ANYONE’S
ATTENTION THIS THA THIS CHILD AT
WILLIAM LAYMAN WAS TESTED FOR
COVID.
OBVIOUSLY THIS CHILD’S PARENTS
HAVE REASON TO TEST FOR COVID.
BUT SENT THIS CHILD TO SCHOOL
BEFORE THE RESULTS WEREK BA.
I WONDER IF YOU WOULD WEIGH IN
ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS
THAT EF REONE IS RELYING ON,
DISTRICT SOUTH FLORIDA WIDE,
DISTRICT WIDE.
>> GLENNA.
I THINK THAT SADLY, SADLY GIVEN
THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY, I
THINK SADLY PARENTS WHO NEED TO
GET TO WORK WILL CONTINUE TO
MAKE SUCH POOR DECISIONS.
LET’S FACE REALITY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PARENTS WHO
ARE OUT OF WORK.
A LOT OF PARENTS WHO ADEQUATE
HEALTH CARE, ADEQUATE CHILD CARE
WHO WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE
DECISIONS.
I WILL NOT BE SUR PRIESED IF WE
GO FROM 4 TO 10 TO 15 DESPITE
THE PRECAUTIONS THAT ARE BEING
TAKEN.
IT IS A PARENT’S ABSOLUTE
RESPONSIBILITY.
ANY SYMPTOM WHATSOEVER.
GET YOUR CHILD TESTED, KEEP YOUR
CHILD AT HOME.
FOR MY CHILD, OUR CHILDREN,
MYSELF AND THE ADULTS AT HOME
ALSO, AND THOSE SUPERHEROES
WITHOUT KAWPS CALLED TEACHERS
WHO WILL TRY THEIR BEST TO
EDUCATE THOSE STUDENTS BEFORE
THEM.
SO YOU ARE RIGHT, FROM A PARENT
PERSPECTIVE, THE RESPONSIBILITY
ONE IS OURS TO MAINTAIN SAFETY.
AND TO CONTINUE TO HARP TO OUR
KIDS, TUCKLY THE TEENAGERS WHO
FEEL THEY ARE INVISIBLE, WEAR A
MASK, WASH YOUR HANDS, STAY AWAY
FROM EACH OTHER.
>> BOY, THAT’S A GOOD POINT ON
WHICH TO STOP AND YOUR ADVICE IS
ON POINT, JOE.