JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Duval County Public Schools officials and administrators grapple with how to safely reopen schools in August, several key decision makers agreed to meet Thursday with News4Jax for a town hall.
Hosted by News4Jax anchor Bruce Hamilton and education reporters Joe McLean and Travis Gibson, the town hall featured a panel including Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene, President of Duval Teachers United Terrie Brady and Rebecca Cardona, a representative for Teamsters Local 512, a union representing 4,500 bus drivers.
RELATED: Join us for our St. Johns County schools town hall on Tuesday
If you couldn’t make it for the town hall, don’t worry. We’ve published an on-demand version of the town hall, which you can replay using the video player above. Or you can read our abbreviated Q&A below:
Q: What happens if a student refuses to wear a mask on the bus?
A: “The guidelines that have been outlined by the transportation department is that they would document those students’ names for three consecutive days of noncompliance of not wearing that mask,” Cardona said. “We don’t feel that’s appropriate. We feel that the notification should be immediate. Three days may be three days too late.”
Q: Are teachers satisfied with the district’s current mask mandate?
A: “Teachers have got to have some kind of secret weapon in their pocket in case students refuse to wear a mask once they get in the classroom,” Brady said. “So we have joined forces with the district through our code of conduct committee to address the mandate of wearing masks and/or shields because there are two different options in the classroom and what happens if there are repeated offenses, and what type of penalty could be for the students if they refuse to wear them on a repeated basis.”
Q: If Jacksonville lifts its mask mandate during the school year, will the DCPS mandate remain in place?
A: “Yes, the mask will be mandatory regardless of whether there is the city of mask mandate or not,” Greene said.
Q: What happens if a student tests positive for COVID-19?
A: “That student will have to self-isolate for 14 days,” Greene said. “In addition, if that student has siblings that attend Duval County Public Schools, their siblings will also have to self-isolate for 14 days.”
Q: What if a teacher of staff member tests positive for COVID-19?
A: “That employee would have to self-isolate for 14 days,” Greene said. “We are in the process of hiring a rapid response team and additional nurses and through that process, they will do the contact tracing and be able to notify individuals that, based on that contact tracing, will need to self-isolate.”
Q: Are the district or unions asking teachers or bus drivers to get tested before they come back?
A: “I can tell you through the negotiations process that is not a proposed guideline at this time,” Cardona said.
Added Brady: “None of our employees are being mandated to be tested before they enter into the school. But I do know that the district is working with different testing facilities that if teachers need to be tested or students or other employees throughout the district, they will be made available.”
Q: How will students be handled safely at lunch without endangering teachers?
A: “When students are eating that is actually the only time they can remove their facial covering during that time,” Greene said. “Once they’re transitioning to lunch, they’re required to wear their facial covering, and then when they leave lunch, then they will be required to put their facial covering back on.”
Q: Will there be extended day programs for working parents?
A: “Currently, we have extended day camp, and they’ve done a phenomenal job with our extended day camp,” Greene said. “That will continue when our school doors open. Whether it’s extended day or GEAR UP team or Communities In Schools. All of our normal partnerships with other providers who provide before after school programs will be offered and available for families.”
As a reminder, we’re holding a second town hall next week, this time for St. Johns County schools. That event, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, will be hosted by News4Jax anchor Melanie Lawson and education reporter Joe McLean. They’ll be joined by Superintendent Tim Forson, St. Johns Education Association President Michelle Dillon and Melissa Kledzik, director of school health services.
We’re also looking for voices from the community for that event. If you’re a teacher, parent or staffer who wants to participate in the town hall, send us an email — webteam@wjxt.com.
