As Florida parents grapple with school choices amid the coronavirus, so are Fla. lawmakers

Which lawmakers are opting for distance or brick & mortar school?

LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE CONTINUESNOW AT TEN THIRTY ON WFTX - I’MPATRICK 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 schoolTHAT’S WHAT THE GOVERNORSAIDBEFORE ADDING HIS CHILDRENAREN’T OLD ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY GOTO SCHOOL YETBUT U.S. SENATOR MARCO RUBIO’SCHILDREN AR━ AND WHEN RECENTLYASKED IF HE’S PLANNING TO SENDHIS KIDS BACK TO A BRICK ANDMORTAR SCHOOL IN MIAM━Marco 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 there’s 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- we’re 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 who’s only6 years old, i can’t see himwearing a mask everyday toschool and not something he maydo successfully so we’vestruggled 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 don’t feelcomfortable sending my kids backto a closed up school :54BRAYNON- ONE OF THREE DEMOCRATSWHO TOLD US THEY’RE 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 FAMILY’SSCHOOL PLAN━ LESS THAN 20%RESPONDEDOF THOSE WITH KIDS IN GRADES K-1━ THE MAJORITY WHORESPONDE━REPUBLICANS 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 FLORIDA’S WEST COAST.DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JASON PIZZOOF MIAMI TOLD US HE’SUNDECIDEDBUT "as of today,would not be comfortable"SENDING HIS KIDS TO CAMPUS.AND REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVEJACKIE TOLEDO WOULDN’T SAYEITHER WA━ STATING IN PART"regardless of what mychildren’s 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