Power for districts to decide how, when to return to classrooms comes too little too late, local teachers union president says

ORLANDO, Fla. — The back and forth between the Florida Department of Education and the state’s largest teachers union continues.

On Thursday, a judge lifted an automatic stay in a lawsuit between the Florida Education Association and the state over an emergency order to reopen public schools by the end of the month.

As of right now, the power to decide how and when schools should open is in the hands of local districts. But in central Florida, all but Volusia County students, who go back to school on Monday, have already returned to classrooms.

READ: 117 students, staff in quarantine since Orange County Public School classes resumed, district says

Channel 9 checked in with central Florida school districts to see if they would pivot from their already in place face-to-face learning plans.

Orange County stated, “No changes at this time,” and Seminole County stated, “We’re continuing as is.”

The other central Florida school districts that returned to in-person instruction did not answer our requests for comments.

Since Volusia County doesn’t start face-to-face learning until Monday, it could pull back on the plan as per the Federal Education Association’s advice. But Volusia County Schools stated in an email, “We have not changed a thing based on these decisions. We are going forward with our plans.”

READ: Police: School guardian confronts armed man who hopped fence at local high school

A few local teachers unions want districts that already started in-person instruction to take a step back and go all virtual. The president of the Osceola County Education Association knows the FEA lawsuit win is big but thinks the win is also a bit late.

“I hate to say it out loud. I don’t foresee them changing,” said Lare Allen, with the Osceola Education Association.

The Florida Department of Education isn’t backing down and wrote in an email, “We will not stop fighting and firmly believe we’re in the right. ... We are immediately appealing this decision to the first DCA.”

The state’s appeal for the overall case is still pending. The state is also appealing the decision to give schools the power to decide while the case goes through the court system.

Video: Worries over possible spike in COVID-19 in Volusia County after schools open Monday Volusia County Schools are getting ready to welcome students back on Monday but many people are worried that will lead to a spike in coronavirus cases.