60% of Orange County teachers surveyed don’t feel safe in classroom, union says

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — About 60% of surveyed teachers at Orange County Public Schools don’t feel safe in their classrooms during the pandemic, according to the teachers union.

That’s about 1,500 of the 15,000 teachers at the district. One big sticking point for the union: Teachers are reporting mask and social distancing violations that make them uneasy.

Florida reports 176 coronavirus deaths, almost 3,700 new cases

The medical advisory committee said schools must keep students and staff socially distanced and wear a mask to be most effective.

Union officials said teachers are reporting that they keep getting more face-to-face learners, and there could be more if families decide to switch out of virtual learning at the nine-week mark.

CDC study: People with COVID-19 ‘twice as likely’ to report eating at restaurants before symptoms showed

“We’re pretty shocked that the district keeps putting more and more students in a class, making proper social distancing impossible,” said Wendy Doromal, union president.

Switch or stay put? Orange County parents face looming decision deadline whether to swap face-to-face, distance learning