August 28, 2020
By: Staff Report
TAMPA, Fla. – Superintendent Addison Davis and School Board Chair Melissa Snively called an Emergency School Board Meeting for 8 a.m. Friday, to address the order vacating automatic stay entered by Judge Dodson. After public comment and comment from the members, the board voted to stay the course, rescind the August 6th vote for a delayed opening, and will open brick and mortar schools on Monday, August 31st.
The meeting was met with public comments regarding the back and forth on returning to brick and mortar schools, both for and against.
In an emotional comment, Middle School Teacher Jessica Harrington said, “I will be the first teacher in history to represent northwest Hillsborough County in Tallahassee what I have heard today are threats from Tallahassee on withholding funding from us because we want to keep our children staff and teachers safe.”
Parent and local resident Johnny Green said, ” This district is so divided. Put your employees first and not yourself. What I’m asking you to do, is bring us together, stick with it, stick with a decision and let’s move forward.”
Superintendent Addison Davis made his recommendation, “Overall for my recommendation, right now, over the last few weeks, you see the community spread has decreased as well as the logistical reality that of tens of thousands of individuals or count on us to open on Monday and they’ve planned for this, for us to be open on brick and mortar.”
School Board Member Tamara Shamburger District 5 said, “There’s no new information given at this board meeting today, to give me any reason to reconsider my vote of August the 6th I do find it ironic that Dr. Holt under the direction or threat of this state, decided not to give us any opinion at the August 6th meeting, yet now he’s the only doctor giving an opinion about reopening on Monday.”
“My concern today is that this board is potentially going to be out of order, out of line procedurally. How are we bringing it back? How are we bringing back a motion to reconsider a vote from August 6th,” Shamburger added.
“The childcare issues would be tremendous right now if we made any additional adjustments. In addition, the teachers have planned, leaders have planned, and the staff has planned, to create choice through e-learning and brick and mortar,” Davis added.