Four Broward County educators died from COVID in less than 24 hours

Miami, Florida – In less than one day this week, between Tuesday and Wednesday, three Broward County school teachers and one of its assistant teachers died from COVID.

According to Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco, “Within a 24-hour span, we had an assistant teacher pass away, a teacher at her school pass away, an elementary teacher pass away and another teacher at a high school.”

Fusco says she hears about such tragedies way too often.

“It’s extremely frightening. I hear this every day. Whether in Broward or elsewhere. We’re the 5th largest union in the country,” said Fusco.

Dr. Rosalind Osgood, the chair of the Broward County School Board, said they mourn the loss of four of their own.

“I have been on the school board for 9 years, and for 9 years you get to connect with them,” she said. “You love them. They become family.”

According to the teachers, ironically, all dying around the same time Broward County’s School Board voted to defy Gov. DeSantis’ order to drop the mask mandate.

“We believe the parents rather than the government should be making this decision,” said DeSantis.

Fusco is relieved the board chose its own move when it comes to masks.

“We got a little bit of relief, keeping mask protocols, hand sanitizer, extra sanitizing,” she added.

According to Fusco, three of the teachers who died were unvaccinated. It is not clear if the fourth teacher had been vaccinated.