Orange County teachers union, school district reach impasse over reopening plan

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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Public School Teachers Union on Thursday declared an impasse after weeks of bargaining with Orange County Public Schools regarding the district’s reopening plan.

In a news release, the teachers union said the district’s plan “threatens the health and lives of the over 14,000 educators represented by OCCTA, their students, their families, and the community at large.”

The decision may now go before a special magistrate.

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“We hope that the District will waive a special magistrate hearing so we can go directly to the school board to resolve these life and death issues,” the union said in a statement. “We will continue to attempt to bargain in the meantime, but if you were watching today you can see we are hundreds of miles apart.”

Orange County Public Schools resume virtual classes on Monday, then are scheduled to resume in-person instruction two weeks later.

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