Democrat Jared Moskovitz Discusses Role of Teachers’ Union in School Closures
On Monday, Florida Democrat Jared Moskovitz shared insights on the “Chuck Todcast,” revealing that the teachers’ union influenced the party’s stance on school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The prolonged school closures and shift to distance learning negatively impacted students’ performance in crucial subjects like math and English. Moskovitz mentioned that he urged his fellow Democrats to reopen schools, but there was reluctance driven by pressure from the teachers’ union and opposition to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
“I kept telling my Democratic colleagues, ‘Look at the data.’ I wanted to discuss this with the governor,” Moskovitz recounted during the podcast. “We could have examined data from countries like Denmark and Germany.”
He continued, “I warned my colleagues that it would be very popular to open schools. It was clear where things were heading, but no one wanted to hear it.” When asked if this resistance was a result of the teachers’ union’s influence, he affirmed, “It is part of the teachers’ union.”
Moskovitz expressed that during a time of intense political polarization, agreeing with DeSantis on reopening was challenging. “It was becoming increasingly toxic,” he added.
Governor DeSantis was known for his opposition to lockdowns, school closures, and mask mandates, beginning to ease restrictions in Florida in early May 2020, making it one of the first states to do so.
In July 2020, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), indicated that the union would support a “safety strike” if desired health measures were not implemented. In July 2021, she also claimed that DeSantis’s reopening strategies would lead to significant health repercussions.
During the podcast, Moskovitz warned that Florida might remain a Republican stronghold for the foreseeable future, suggesting that the Covid-19 pandemic shifted political dynamics in the state. “We now have 1.2 million registered Republicans, and the outlook for recovery in the short term doesn’t look promising. I believe the Covid crisis played a significant role in this shift,” he noted. “We’ve been under Republican control for 35 years, and that could extend for many more.”
