Some Broward schools leaders want to delay laptop distribution to keep employees safe.

But employees may not show up over coronavirus concerns

Broward schools plan to issue more laptops Saturday as part of a switch to online learning, but many employees assigned to hand them out may stay home due to concerns over the coronavirus.

The leaders of groups representing teachers, administrators and office managers say they don’t think the district has taken proper steps needed to ensure employees will be safe. They want the distribution postponed.

“I have never received so many concerns from principals and assistant principals who believe that the district’s care and concern for their personal and physical well-being is not being properly considered and appreciated,” Lisa Maxwell, executive director of the Broward Principals and Assistants Association, wrote in a letter to district staff and School Board members.

The Office of Chief Communications Officer Kathy Koch didn’t answer specific questions asked Wednesday. “District staff is finalizing details for the second distribution of computing devices,” Koch’s office wrote. “Information will be provided as it becomes available.”

Maxwell said some employees are weighing their options. “I am being told that there are a number who are considering accepting discipline of insubordination in order to stay safe and protect their own families,” she wrote.

Gov Ron DeSantis has required all schools be closed until at least April 15 due to COVID-19, so the district is offering all classes online starting Monday. District officials said most of the over 220,000 students are using their family’s personal computers, but the district has 90,000 to lend out to those in need.

More than 64,000 of those were distributed last Friday, but some schools ran out and some parents complained they had to work and couldn’t pick them up. So the district announced a second pickup for this Saturday. During last week’s distribution,

there were complaints that some schools failed to ensure parents and students waiting in line practiced “social distancing” to ensure they were far enough apart to avoid spreading the virus.

Some school office managers showed up for Friday’s distributions and others didn’t, said Jack Vesey, president of the Confidential Office Personnel Association. He’s advising his employees not to show up Saturday.

“I don’t think it’s worth it to put their family and their health at risk,” Vesey said.

He said distribution should wait “until the overwhelming spike in people becoming infected subsides.” However, Dan Reynolds, union president for custodians, security officers and some clerical staff, said his employees are willing to work. He said the district is offering them time-andhalf pay. Whether the schools can distribute laptops with only these employees is unclear.

Reynolds said the district has assured his union, the Federation of Public Employees, each school will provide personal protective gear for employees, including masks and gloves.

However, Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union, said she has gotten no such assurance and advised her members not to show up Saturday.

“How do they have masks when medical personnel don’t?” she asked.

School Board Chairwoman Donna Korn did not respond Wednesday afternoon to a text requesting comment.

Palm Beach County starts its switch to digital learning next week and started distributing laptops this week, said spokeswoman Julie Houston Trieste. She said parents who indicated on as survey they needed computers have made appointments with their child’s school.

“Each school set up their pick up times and parents drove through, showed ID, filled out an additional form and received the device without getting out of their cars,” Houston Trieste said. “The schools have really embraced these distributions.”