SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – It’s almost the time of year where students across Florida will be heading back to school after their winter break.
This has some teachers on the fence about going back into their classrooms.
“I’m a woman of faith and I just pray to God this decision is right. I need to go back. I’m not ready to resign yet, I mean teaching is my life,” Gina Boller, a teacher at Evans Elementary school in Oviedo said.
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She’s been working there for 20 years, and although she’s excited to go back to school after nine months of teaching online she’s also worried about contracting COVID-19.
“We’re raising the next generation and the more children they’re asking to be back because everybody is bound and determined to get everybody back face-to-face, I was disappointed they wouldn’t be providing us with the vaccine,” Boller said.
Currently, the state of Florida is vaccinating, hospital healthcare workers, some first responders, and those who are 65 or older.
“I’m outraged. I mean the CDC came up with a pretty good system way of how to distribute the vaccinations based on what’s what. The governor wants a hundred percent of the students in school,” Dan Smith, president of Seminole Education Association said. The union, which represents Seminole County teachers, is upset educators and non-instructional staff like bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers haven’t been authorized to get the vaccine.
“He’s deemed this 2020 the year of the teacher and now when it comes, you know when it’s time to, excuse the put up or shut up, he’s silent on this,” Smith said. “Because they were deemed essential workers in March by the governor, they are required to work.”
It’s a concerning time for Gina, especially because she’s a caregiver to her husband who she said survived cancer, has COPD, and had open-heart surgery.
“My biggest concern is God forbid I go back in and for some reason, I come down with something and I would bring it back to my husband of 38 years and he would-- and I don’t know if I could ever live with that,” she said. “Until my husband is able to get vaccined or I’m getting vaccinated I feel like I’m walking a very scary tight rope.”
According to the Seminole Public Schools COVID-19 dashboard, so far, 579 cases have been reported within their schools. It was last updated on Dec. 16.
A spokesperson for Seminole County Public schools said their safety protocols established in the first semester will remain in place upon returning from their winter break for the 2nd semester. The only change is they reduced the number of days required for self-quarantining from 14-days, to 10-days, per the updated CDC and Florida health department guidelines.