Florida Gov. DeSantis mulls reopening schools: Coronavirus 'doesn't seem to threaten' kids

[catbyte]

By Marty Johnson - 04/10/20

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday signaled that there was still a possibility that Florida schools could reopen in May after being closed since March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We’re going to look at the evidence and make a decision," DeSantis said of the possibility of children returning to schools in the state, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

"If it’s safe, we want kids to be in school. ... Even if it’s for a couple of weeks, we think there would be value in that," he continued.

CNN reported that DeSantis added that he didn't think anyone under 25 had died of the virus.

"This particular pandemic is one where, I don't think nationwide there's been a single fatality under 25. For whatever reason it just doesn't seem to threaten, you know, kids," DeSantis said.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/492152-florida-gov-desantis-says-coronavirus-doesnt-seem-to-threaten-kids-mulls
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Seriously, is this asshole really that ignorant? I had to do a doubletake to make sure it wasn't a joke. Way to go, Florida folks who voted for this knob.

On edit: What's this Einstein going to do? Find enough teachers under the magic age of 25 to teach them? I hate republicans, I really do.

[Baclava]

1. So teachers are immune too? I think he might get some push back here, idiot

[Mariana]

2. Even if that was true ...

What about the kids' families, teachers, administrators, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, crossing guards, etc. etc. etc?

What a dumbass.

[Doreen]

30. Yeah

Both when I was in school and working as a custodian in several schools I never saw any of those workers being 25 or under. Never. I think 30 might have been the youngest.

[SharonAnn]

36. Children are "virus vectors". Infecting all whom they have contact with.

[Mike Nelson]

3. Well...

... this Governor doesn't know kids... they would spread the virus quickly. Instead, maybe he should try to figure out what they are putting in the Republicans' water in Florida. Something has infected their sanity.

[LisaL]

4. And who is going to teach them? Other kids?

Kids can get infected, they can spread it around.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. As long as they can teach themselves and run the school??

[grantcart]

41. Drive the buses, "What do you have to lose?"

[Rhiannon12866]

45. Great point! Drive the buses, make and serve lunches, sweep the halls, order supplies

Teaching themselves would be the easiest part.

[Newest Reality]

6. Let's face it...

The Republican Governors are playing the Trump game. They appear to have little or no real concern for the safety and well being of their constituents. They have vested interests and ulterior motives that they play to.

Then, they get to use the cover of being stupid, ignorant, crazy, etc. I think it is a marvelous strategy, considering the gullible believe they are doing a "great job", while the intelligent tend to fall for the ineptitude excuse.

No, they KNOW what they are doing. This is willful and in concert with the GOP agendas. Their actions may be criminal and negligent, but don't give them the cover of bumbling. We see how well that strategy has worked for them and Trump. They are fully responsible for their actions and that's were the emphasis has to be placed, no outs, no excuses, no manipulated reactions.

[flamingdem]

18. Agree. DeSantis is playing DUMB

He's not Florida Man, he's another greedy and power hungry player in the GOP's dirty game.

[Newest Reality]

24. Yup.

Thanks for the comment.

See my post on his education at the bottom of the thread.

This is a game they are playing and I hope wise people will wise up to it. That would help us battle this.

[John Fante]

55. I don't see the agenda here. Inundate a critical swing state

with COVID-19 cases? That's insane.

[sarcasmo]

7. Stupid is as stupid does.

[totodeinhere]

8. What a stupid ass.

It may not affect many school age kids, although it does affect some. But those same kids can become carriers and pass it on to more vulnerable people.

[uponit7771]

9. People with at least half a brain in Florida are now screaming outloud

[FirstLight]

10. omg FUCK him! ALL of them!

If I was working for a school district and they re-opened schools...I would tell them to fuck right off.... How many teachers are going to actually show up? UGH!

[Squinch]

11. Yeah! Let's let the kids go to school by themselves! It'll be just like

Lord of the Flies!

[Turbineguy]

12. Maybe it's like this:

He has to say something stupid to keep his base happy. He really does not want to kill people. Well, not with his bare hands anyway.

[dhill926]

13. is there a mechanism for recalling...

this dumber than shit fuckstick in Florida?

[rzemanfl]

14. Shit for brains. Fix the fucking unemployment system DiSantis, you disgusting asshole!

[efhmc]

15. So if you are not an idiot and you do not want your children in a disease cauldron,

will you be fined or penalized in some way? How can the state reinforce this?

[bluestarone]

16. Hope this is STOPPED!

What the fuck is wrong with RETHUGS?? ( i know it's TRUMPITIS!)

[dalton99a]

17. Let them get it and bring it home

Depraved asshole

[catbyte]

20. I'm beginning to wonder if Governor Einstein & that thing currently infesting the White House

are in cahoots and are planning to open a string of for-profit orphanages in The Sunshine State. Yeah, that's the ticket. Knock off mom, dad, grandpa & grandma then stick junior in a group home then charge the state & federal government to house them. It would be a goldmine!

[Marrah_Goodman]

19. Perhaps HE should go back to school

He apparently missed science the first time.

[gratuitous]

21. A surplus of child-sized coffins you want to remedy, Governor?

That's the only reason I can think of for this dumbass to advance such a stupid idea.

[lame54]

22. Is this The Lord of the Flies school?

No adults allowed

[Newest Reality]

23. Has anbody checked the backgrounds of these Governors?

Why play into the bumbling, stupid fool routine. They are smart enough to give that impression and that's facile. It is not like they have only a grade school education.

I am not saying that going to Yale or the upper echelon institutions makes them geniuses, but it is really easy to get away with things if, rather than holding you accountable and noting that you DO have the intelligence to do things correctly and respond appropriately, you play the people in a trumpian manner. That's a tactic, not a liability. I see so many people actually falling for what now seems to be a part of the GOP playbook.

Hold them to account BECAUSE they know what they are doing and don't give them the excuse they are deliberately crafting. Besides, doing what seems to be stupid things appeals to their base, as we all know.

An example is to look at De Santis' education record, (including an honors society):

After graduating in 1997 from Dunedin High School in Dunedin, Florida, DeSantis attended Yale University, graduating with a B.A. in history in 2001.[9] While at Yale, he was also captain of the varsity baseball team,[10] and a brother of Delta Kappa Epsilon, joining the same chapter that once counted George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush as members. After Yale, he then joined Darlington School serving on the Upper School history department.[11] He then attended Harvard Law School, receiving his J.D. in 2005.[12]

So, in answer to the OP question. No, he is not at all that ignorant, but he wants you to think he is. All the better to get away with an agenda and deflect from the purpose.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_DeSantis

[flamingdem]

50. What!? DeSantis went to Yale ... so he's at least as smart as Bush lol

but he plays as dumb as Trump - because it works.

Thanks for this info!

[Stuart G]

25. He is sucking up to his "Big Boss" & everyone knows it..

...He will get paid for his sucking up in ways we do not know..!!!
... 2 reasons why Trump said this comment. either............1. orders from the "boss"
..............................or ..................................................2. attempt to suck up to the "boss"

......????? there ain't no more ..

[Baked Potato]

26. Is Roger Stone advising this clown ? JHC.

As long as the kids don’t die, we good?

[renate]

27. is this why he kept the beaches open during spring break? because young adults don't get as sick?

So some of those kids' parents and grandparents and people they passed in the grocery store have gotten sick and some will die because Ron DeSantis is unable to grok the fact that viruses spread? People will literally die because he's just THAT DUMB?

I don't know which would be more frustrating... that he understood viral transmission and let it happen anyway, or that he was too stupid to grasp that simple concept and too stubborn to take the advice of people who could.

[guillaumeb]

28. I find it bizarre, and funny, when GOP politicians speak about evidence.

What they mean are polls.

[GemDigger]

29. Hey Gov., Did you hear about the newborn baby that died last week?

I am so grateful that we have a blue governor in a red state. He is saving our ass with intelligence.

[mantis49]

31. There's been an infant death here in Illinois.

n/t

[Dan]

32. People of Florida - honestly, I have a question for you.

Your Governor, he’s not too bright?

[Doreen]

33. So, do any other school custodians agree with me

that that is one of the most stupid ideas?

[BeckyDem]

34. Sometimes I feel we may have no way out.

Republicans have made clear they will kill you off and your kids too.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

35. Republicons want to kill teachers & professors & have everybody home-schooled & Sunday-schooled. .nt

[BigmanPigman]

37. You wouldn't be able to get me back into a classroom,

even at gun point. No way in Hell. I have permanent health problems from the sick classroom environment I taught in and had to eventually leave due to it. Classrooms are germ factories on a good day.

[elias7]

38. So kid brings it home, gets parent sick, has to live knowing he/she killed parent

Proceed, Governer...

[Sloumeau]

39. First of all, children have died from coronavirus.

Second of all, the teachers, principals, janitors, playground monitors, groundskeepers, and other personnel like security and police officers are generally not children. This guy is a moron.

[Politicub]

40. "Florida man reopens schools during global pandemic"

Par for the course for this nutty state.

[DFW]

42. Facts? WHAT facts?

"Ain't that something you use to send a photocopy over the phone?"

[mwooldri]

43. If it's a boarding school....

... and if it's all self isolated (including the teachers and support staff) and every one is tested negative... then yeah re-open the school. But no one in and no one out.

Looks like Guvn'r Insantis will have to have school out til after summer at the earliest.

[MLAA]

44. Perhaps he isn't that ignorant (intentionally misrepresenting) but his supporters sure are.

[C Moon]

46. And people voted for this nitwit?

[Ford_Prefect]

47. The GOP and this fool in particular will do anything that reduces the number of Democrats voting...

By any means necessary takes on a whole new meaning , eh?

[niyad]

48. It is a real pity that this level of stupidity is not fatal. I hope he and the other stupid "leaders

All contract fatal cases of covid 45.

[lpbk2713]

49. Duhhh

You can't put them on auto-pilot.

[mr_lebowski]

51. This sounds like a great plan ...

But then ... I don't really like kids.

I say let's just give 'em the keys to the school, we'll drop 'em off, and tell 'em all they get to hang out there, and like ... teach one another how to do shit. Like the 5th graders teach the 4th graders whatever they learned last year. It's brilliant, really ...

And tell 'em don't come home ... for like a long time. Pretend it's summer camp, but at the school.

I'm taking bets on how long it'll take for shit to get all Lord of the Flies ...

[dchill]

52. Things are going so swimmingly in Florida...

...what could go wrong?

[underpants]

53. Look at me. Standing up to science.

Moron.

[Hekate]

54. Okay, moron, tell them to say goodby to Nana and Meemaw...

...and a lot of those nice dedicated teachers.

[Progressive Law]

56. Doesn't he know that children live with adults?

[bluestarone]

57. He thinks he Didn't infect enough during spring brake sooooooo

Let's get the kids back to school. That ought to do the trick!

[procon]

58. He's more concerned about getting his sticky fingers on

all that lost federal tax money that schools get for student attendance. He doesn't care if there are any teachers, just bus the kids in long enough to check them off the attendance record then bus them back home.

With any Republican it's always about the money.