BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – After two rounds of special negotiations due to COVID-19, the Brevard Federation of Teachers said Brevard Public Schools is not committed to safely going back to school.
"We are not confident that these schools are ready to reopen safety," union president Anthony Colucci said.
Colucci said the school district Thursday continued to reject most of the union's proposals on mandating masks, guaranteeing safe distancing and having enough cleaning supplies.
Friday, Colucci said he visited a school that had none.
In Brevard Public Schools reopening plan, supplies like hand sanitizer are supposed to be in every classroom.
"We're looking for something in writing saying that these cleaning supplies are going to be there," Colucci said. "Each day I am getting teachers calling me telling me they are going on leave and if they are eligible for retiring, they are retiring because they do not feel the safety measures are in place to protect our teachers," he said.
Brevard Public Schools chief negotiator said teachers and their well being is the district’s top priority.
Dr. Kayrle Green said both sides have found common ground with pushing back the first day of school to Aug. 24.
"If our first day of school were Monday, we would be here non-stop until we hashed out these things to make everybody comfortable to come," Green said. "We do have a couple weeks. Our board did push the start date back a week and that has been beneficial to this process," she said.
The union is also paying close to attention to the school board’s continuing discussion on masks. Next week, the board will debate whether to make everyone in schools have to wear one.