As Florida parents grapple with school choices amid the coronavirus, so are Fla. lawmakers
![As Florida parents grapple with school choices amid the coronavirus, so are Fla. lawmakers](https://video.newsserve.net/700/v/20200724/2007241450-As-Florida-parents-grapple-with-school-choices-amid.jpg)
LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE CONTINUESNOW AT TEN THIRTY ON WFTX - IâMPATRICK NOLAN.
EVEN WITH LEESCHOOLS PUSHING BACK TO THESTART OF SCHOOL TO AUGUST31ST...PARENTS IN LEE AND AROUNDTHE STATE ARE STILL GRAPPLINGWITH THE DECISION TO SEND THEIRCHILDREN BACK TO A BRICK ANDMORTAR SCHOOL AT ALL OR OPT FORDISTANCE LEARNINGMAY BEINTERESTED IN HEARING WHATFLORIDA LAWMAKERS ARE DOING WITHTHEIR OWN CHILDREN.AS A PARENT HERSELF4 IN YOURCORNER INVESTIGATOR KATIELAGRONE WANTED TO KNOWSO SHEASKED THEM.AS A PARENT OF TWO HEALTHY YOUNGBOYSWHAT DO I DO?
RISK EXPOSINGTHEM TO THIS SCARY VIRUS ATSCHOOLOR TEAR MY HAIR OUTTRYING TO SCHOOL THEM FROM HOMEWHILE WORKING UNDER DEADLINEEVERYDAY.
SO I ASKED LAWMAKERS,WHAT ARE YOU DOING?:23- DeSantis"i think it would be safe forthem".FLORIDA POLITICIANS ON THERECORD.ABOUT THEIR OWN SCHOOLPLANS AMID THE ONGOING PANDEMIC:17- DeSantisi would not have any problemhaving them in schoolTHATâS WHAT THE GOVERNORSAIDBEFORE ADDING HIS CHILDRENARENâT OLD ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY GOTO SCHOOL YETBUT U.S. SENATOR MARCO RUBIOâSCHILDREN ARâ AND WHEN RECENTLYASKED IF HEâS PLANNING TO SENDHIS KIDS BACK TO A BRICK ANDMORTAR SCHOOL IN MIAMâMarco Rubio :19"the answer to that question isyes"GO DOWN THE LIST OF FLORIDALAWMAKERSAND THEIR UPCOMING SCHOOL CHOICESEEMS TO FOLLOW THEIR POLITICS.Jeff Brandes4:33- we think thereâs a lot ofreasons kids go to school beyondthe education factor,REPUBLICAN SENATOR JEFF BRANDESIS A FATHER OF FOUR WHOREPRESENTS PINELLAS COUNTY--(with jeff brandes):26- what are your plans foryour own children?:29- weâre sending our kids toschool next year.BRANDES SAID HIS CHILDREN ALL GOTO A RELIGIOUS PRIVATESCHOOLAND ADMITS HE AND HISWIFE ARE STILL ON THE FENCEABOUT THEIR YOUNGEST.1:39- as a little boy whoâs only6 years old, i canât see himwearing a mask everyday toschool and not something he maydo successfully so weâvestruggled with thatNO STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRATICSENATOR OSCAR BRAYNON WHOREPRESENTS PARTS OF MIAMI DADEAND BROWARD COUNTIES- HARDESTHIT BY THE CORONAVIRUS(with oscar braynon):32- we are the epicenter of thestate makes this probably one ofthe most dangerous places in theworld to send your child back toschool.
//i donât feelcomfortable sending my kids backto a closed up school :54BRAYNON- ONE OF THREE DEMOCRATSWHO TOLD US THEYâRE NOT SENDINGTHEIR CHILDREN BACK TO CAMPUSTHIS YEARINSTEAD OPTING FORDISTANCE OR VIRTUALLEARNINGSOME SCHOOL DISTRICTSHAVE ALREADY MADE THAT CHOICEFOR PARENT1:14- should the numbers changedrastically, in the next 4- 5weeks then i would reconsiderWE ASKED ABOUT 100 FLORIDALAWMAKERS ABOUT THEIR FAMILYâSSCHOOL PLANâ LESS THAN 20%RESPONDEDOF THOSE WITH KIDS IN GRADES K-1â THE MAJORITY WHORESPONDEâREPUBLICANS WHO TOLDUS THEY ARE SEND THEIR CHILDRENBACK TO CAMPUS."This was not an easy decisionfor us," STATED REPUBLICANREPRESENTATIVE NICK DICEGLIEWHOSE KIDS ATTEND A PRIVATESCHOOL ON FLORIDAâS WEST COAST.DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JASON PIZZOOF MIAMI TOLD US HEâSUNDECIDEDBUT "as of today,would not be comfortable"SENDING HIS KIDS TO CAMPUS.AND REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVEJACKIE TOLEDO WOULDNâT SAYEITHER WAâ STATING IN PART"regardless of what mychildrenâs schooling optionsare, parents want to see theirchildren safe and we should worktowards returning our childrento a safe and healthy learningenvironment."TAGREGARDLESS OF THEIR PERSONALDECISIONS, THE LAWMAKERS WESPOKE WITH ALL AGREE THE STATENEEDS TO OFFER FAMILIESOPTIONSAND ONLY FA