The Orange County Public School Board met for a marathon nine-hour session on Tuesday to decide on a reopening model for public schools in the county, and a last-minute proposal to move back the first day of school from Aug. 10 to Aug. 21.
No votes or decisions ultimately came out the meeting on these two key issues. The School Board voted to table the meeting at around 9:30 p.m. (with some technical issues hampering proceedings) and to reconvene on Friday morning at 9 a.m. to further debate these two reopening issues and make their final determinations.
Throughout nearly seven hours of public comment during the meeting, by phone and in person, speakers were passionate on the subject of reopening safely, with a number of OCPS teachers and concerned parents and citizens presenting their cases eloquently, emotionally and, at times, heatedly, in a clear sign of just how high the stakes are on these decisions.
Meanwhile, over in Seminole County, the School Board voted 4-1 to reopen with both in-person and online options, and the school year will be pushed back to a start date of Aug. 17. Also on Tuesday evening, the Osceola County School Board voted to push back the start of the school year to Aug. 24.
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