>>THIS WEEK ON NEWS NIGHT AS THE HOLIDAY TRAVEL SEASON ENDS, CASES OF COVID-19 IN CENTRAL FLORIDA CONTINUE TO SET RECORDS, AND THE STATE URGES FLORIDIANS TO STOP LIVING THEIR LIVES BASED ON TESTING, PROMISING TO PRIORITIZE TESTS FOR HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT, AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, OUR FIRST SHOW OF 2022, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

AND WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS EVERY WEEK FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

JOINING US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO, DANIELLE PRIEUR OF 90.7 WMFE.

DANIELLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR- >>THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>BEING HERE, A REGULAR ON THE PROGRAM.

AND DARALENE JONES FROM WFTV CHANNEL NINE, ANOTHER REGULAR ON THE PROGRAM.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>>THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>ALL RIGHT.

FIRST TONIGHT, FLORIDA CONTINUES TO SET RECORDS FOR COVID-19 CASES AS HOSPITALIZATIONS RISE ONCE AGAIN.

AS CROWDS CONTINUE AT ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS BELIEVE IT COULD BE A WEEK OR TWO BEFORE CENTRAL FLORIDA'S COVID DATA REFLECTS INFECTIONS OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

CENTRAL FLORIDA'S HEADING INTO THE BUSIEST PERIOD FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AS THE STATE REPORTS, THE HIGHEST COVID CASE COUNTS OF THE PANDEMIC, AND IN SOME PLACES, THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID SINCE SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.

>>SO PEOPLE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON GETTING VACCINATED, GETTING A SERIES COMPLETED, AND GETTING THE BOOSTER.

>>THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION SAYS SOME HOSPITAL OPERATORS, INCLUDING ORLANDO HEALTH, ARE REPORTING THAT APPROXIMATELY HALF OF PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL WITH COVID-19 WERE ADMITTED FOR OTHER REASONS, INCIDENTALLY SHOWING POSITIVE DURING ROUTINE TESTING.

THIS VIDEO FROM WKMG CHANNEL SIX SHOWS THE SCALE OF DEMAND FOR TESTING.

THESE CARS WERE LINED UP FOR ORANGE COUNTY'S TESTING SITE AT BARNETT PARK, THIS LINE SNAKING BACK MORE THAN A MILE ON COLONIAL DRIVE.

THE GOVERNORS BLAMED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR FAILING TO PROVIDE ENOUGH TESTS.

AND HE SAYS SOME PEOPLE ARE TESTING TOO MUCH LEADING TO LONG WAIT TIMES.

>>THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A CRUNCH ON THE AVAILABILITY OF TESTS.

WE WERE PROMISED A LOT OF THESE HOME TESTS.

THAT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TOTAL CONTROL OVER THAT.

THEY'VE PROMISED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF TESTS.

I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'S COMING, IF IT'LL COME.

SENDING IT TO PEOPLE OR LETTING THEM DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO INTO A LINE WOULD PROBABLY BE THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO DO IT.

IF WE HAD THE CAPACITY TO BUY SOME, WE WOULD'VE BOUGHT SOME, BUT WE CAN'T.

IT'S ALL GOING TO BE DONE THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

>>BUT ON THURSDAY, THE FLORIDA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR CONFIRMED UP TO A MILLION RAPID TEST KITS EXPIRED IN A STATE WAREHOUSE IN DECEMBER.

HE SAID THE STATE TRIED TO GIVE THEM OUT, BUT THERE WAS LITTLE DEMAND FOR THE TESTS BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER.

THIS WEEK, FLORIDA SURGEON GENERAL URGED PEOPLE TO STOP LIVING AND PLANNING THEIR LIVES AROUND TESTING.

HE SAID THE STATE WOULD PUT OUT GUIDANCE EMPHASIZING HIGH VALUE TESTING, PRIORITIZING THOSE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE MORE SEVERE CASES OF COVID RATHER THAN YOUNG, HEALTHY PEOPLE.

>>WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING TO UNWIND THE TESTING PSYCHOLOGY THAT OUR FEDERAL LEADERSHIP HAS MANAGED TO, UNFORTUNATELY, GET MUCH MOST OF THE COUNTRY IN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

WE NEED TO UNWIND THIS TESTING PLANNING AND LIVING ONE'S LIFE AROUND TESTING.

WITHOUT IT WE'RE GOING TO BE SORT OF STUCK IN THE SAME CYCLE.

>>ANNOUNCING ADDITIONAL MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT SITES, INCLUDING ONE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, GOVERNOR DESANTIS THIS WEEK CRITICIZED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER ITS CONTROL OF THE SUPPLY OF MONOCLONALS.

FLORIDA'S BEEN PUSHING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO ALLOW STATES TO BUY THE TREATMENTS DIRECTLY FROM MANUFACTURERS.

>>OUR RESIDENTS, I WANT THEM TO LEAN IN TO ME AT THIS POINT.

>>MEANWHILE, MAYOR DEMING HAS DEFENDED HIS CRITICISM OF DESANTIS FOR NOT APPEARING IN PUBLIC AT THE START OF THE OMICRON SURGE.

THE GOVERNOR HIT BACK AT CRITICS SAYING HE WAS HELPING HIS WIFE THROUGH CANCER TREATMENT.

DEMING SAID THIS WEEK THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES.

WELL, WE SHOULD ADD THAT A NEW STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA SHOWS THAT THE OMICRON SURGE MAY HAVE ALREADY PEAKED HERE IN FLORIDA.

SO WE WAIT AND SEE.

ALL RIGHT, I WANT TO START WITH TESTING.

BEFORE WE DISCUSS THIS, LISTEN TO THIS CLIP OF DR. NEIL FINKLER, CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER FOR ADVENT HEALTH CENTRAL FLORIDA.

>>FOR CURIOSITY'S SAKE, WE WOULD ASK YOU, PLEASE DON'T JUST HOME TEST.

AND THE REALITY IS BASED ON THE NEW CDC RECOMMENDATIONS.

EVEN IF YOU'VE BEEN EXPOSED BUT YOU'RE ENTIRELY ASYMPTOMATIC, THERE'S PROBABLY NO REASON TO GET TESTED RIGHT NOW.

YOU CAN QUARANTINE YOURSELF FOR FIVE DAYS AND BASED ON THE CDC RECOMMENDATIONS, IF YOU'RE ASYMPTOMATIC, YOU DON'T NEED ANY TESTING AT ALL.

COME BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH A MASK ON AND PROTECT EVERYBODY ELSE AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

PLEASE DON'T JUST TEST FOR CURIOSITY'S SAKE.

THAT SOUNDS, DANIELLE, A LOT LIKE WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN SAYING AMIDST THESE HUGE LINES.

WHAT ARE WE SEEING?

WHAT IS THE TESTING SITUATION HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AT THE MOMENT?

>>IT'S PRETTY BAD.

WE SAW IN YOUR PACKAGE THAT THE LINES ARE REALLY LONG, THE SITES ARE CLOSING EARLY, THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BEING TESTED A DAY.

AND THE CASE NUMBERS ARE JUST REALLY, REALLY HIGH.

EVEN JUST LOOKING AT THE SCHOOLS, I THINK WE'RE REALLY SEEING OBVIOUSLY A SURGE HERE RIGHT NOW AND TESTS ARE HARD TO COME BY.

>>DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE STATE'S POSITION ON TESTING.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, ANNA ESKAMANI, WROTE ON TWITTER THE FOLLOWING THIS WEEK: IT'S EMPOWERING TO KNOW YOUR COVID-19 STATUS, NOT SCARY OR FEAR DRIVEN.

GETTING A TEST PROVIDES A CLEAR PATH OF YOUR NEXT STEPS, EMPOWERS YOU TO KEEP YOURSELF, THE PEOPLE YOU CARE, ABOUT SAFE.

IT'S NOT FEAR-DRIVEN.

IT'S ABOUT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH I CONSIDER TO BE IMPORTANT.

DARALENE, PRESIDENT BIDEN HIMSELF SAYS HE'S FRUSTRATED, RIGHT, ABOUT THE STATE OF TESTING.

IS GOVERNOR DESANTIS RIGHT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REALLY HASN'T GOTTEN THESE TEST KITS OUT FAST ENOUGH?

>>NOW PRESIDENT BIDEN HIMSELF HAS ALL BUT ADMITTED THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION HAS SOMEWHAT FILLED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT PROPERLY PREPARE FOR THIS SURGE IN GETTING THESE TEST KITS OUT.

HE AND HIS ADMINISTRATION, ARE IN A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE.

JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS, WE ALL WENT ON BREAK AND WE WENT TO VISIT FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

HE WENT ON NATIONAL TELEVISION AND TOLD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THESE TEST KITS WERE COMING.

THESE HOME TEST KITS WERE ON THE WAY.

>>THE PROBLEM IS THE SURGE WAS LIKELY ALREADY UNDERWAY.

AND GUESS WHAT?

THOSE KITS STILL AREN'T HERE.

AS DANIELLE JUST MENTIONED, PEOPLE ARE WAITING IN LINE FOR HOURS WAITING ON A TEST BECAUSE YOU CANNOT FIND THESE AT-HOME TEST KITS IN OUR LOCAL DRUG STORES.

SO WE'VE GOT A BIG PROBLEM WHERE YOU GOT A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE EITHER FORCED TO WAIT IN THESE VERY LONG LINES OR GIVE UP AND JUST GO BACK TO LIVING THEIR NORMAL LIVES DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY MAY INFECT SOMEONE ELSE, OR THEY'RE STUCK GOING BACK TO THE LINE DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.

SO IT IS QUITE THE ISSUE HERE.

NOT JUST FOR DEMOCRATS, BUT FOR REPUBLICANS AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

CERTAINLY TURNING OUT TO BE VERY FRUSTRATING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO, CERTAINLY.

DANIELLE, WHEN THE FLORIDA SURGEON GENERAL SAYS HE WANTS TO UNWIND THIS TESTING PSYCHOLOGY, AS HE CALLS IT, WHAT'S HE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>>BASICALLY, JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE HIGHEST RISK PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE TESTS FIRST.

SO THE IDEA THAT, I THINK THE ANALOGY HE GAVE WAS, GRANDMA SHOULD GET A TEST BEFORE THE THIRD GRADER IN YOUR FAMILY.

THE IDEA THAT SOMEBODY WITH REALLY POSSIBLY POOR HEALTH COMES SHOULD KNOW THEIR STATUS FIRST SO THAT THEY CAN GET TREATMENT SOONER AND TAKE CARE OF THINGS SOONER.

I WAS WITH GOVERNOR DESANTIS YESTERDAY IN KISSIMMEE AND HE DEFINITELY SAID NO ONE GOING TO BE KEPT FROM GETTING TESTED, THOUGH, IF THEY WANT TO BE TESTED.

HE JOKINGLY SAID, "IF YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND BUY 15 TEST KITS, GO BUY 15 TEST KITS.

TEST YOURSELF EVERY DAY, IF THAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER."

BUT I THINK THE IDEA IS THAT THESE GUIDELINES WILL HELP PUT PEOPLE'S MINDS AT EASE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO SHOULD BE TESTED FIRST AND WHO SHOULDN'T REALLY BE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING A TEST.

>>IF ANYBODY KNOWS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BUY 15 TESTS KITS- >>I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.

>>I WOULD BE CERTAINLY BE- >>I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW.

>>VERY GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.

DARALENE, THE STATE HAS SAID THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON HOSPITALIZATIONS AS A DATA POINT, RIGHT, RATHER THAN CASES.

SO WHAT DO HOSPITALIZATIONS IN FLORIDA LOOK LIKE DURING THE SURGE?

I MEAN, HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE DELTA SURGE, FOR EXAMPLE?

>>I THINK WE'RE STILL TRYING TO SORT THAT PART OF IT OUT, BUT NEW INFORMATION FROM THE FLORIDA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SHOWS THAT MORE THAN 7,000 PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE HAVE BEEN ADMITTED INTO HOSPITALS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY'VE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

SO SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE SLOWLY RISING BECAUSE EVEN THAT MOST RECENT NUMBER HAS GROWN DAY TO DAY.

BUT THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS HAVE CONSISTENTLY SAID THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE BEING HOSPITALIZED ARE STILL THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED.

AND IF YOU CAN CALL IT THAT, THERE IS A BIT OF GOOD NEWS IN THAT NEW DATA FROM THE FLORIDA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION.

WE'RE NOT SEEING THE NUMBER OF DEATHS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN PAST MONTHS AND CERTAINLY NOT ANYTHING LIKE WE SAW AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PANDEMIC.

SO THERE IS A BIT OF GOOD NEWS THERE.

SO MAYBE AN INDICATION MORE PEOPLE ARE BEING VACCINATED AND JUST BEING REINFECTED FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

>>YEAH.

BECAUSE ICU UTILIZATION, WHICH IS A KEY DATA POINT, DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT IT WAS DURING THE DELTA SURGE.

DANIELLE, THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED A BUNCH OF NEW MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT SITES AROUND THE STATE THIS WEEK.

BUT HE SAYS THE WHITE HOUSE HAS, QUOTE, SEIZED CONTROL SUPPLIES.

WHAT'S HE ASKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO?

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TENSION BETWEEN THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THIS.

>>THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TENSION, I THINK, FROM THE BEGINNING THOUGH, EVEN BEFORE THIS ISSUE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.

WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, WHICH HAS BEEN EXCITING, IF ANYTHING.

BUT BASICALLY HE WAS ASKING FOR MORE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS TO BE RELEASED TO FLORIDA.

WE'RE A BIG STATE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIORS IN THE STATE.

AND THAT ACTUALLY HAS HAPPENED, AND YESTERDAY HE THANKED THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING ABOUT 30,000 TO 40,000 MORE TREATMENTS IN.

SO ACTUALLY HE WAS QUITE HAPPY YESTERDAY, BUT I THINK HE'S ALSO OFFERED TO EVEN BUY TREATMENTS, WHICH IS INTERESTING.

THE IDEA THAT WE ARE ONE OF THE 10 STATES LEADING THIS SURGE AND WE NEED HELP.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS TO HELP THOSE PATIENTS THAT ARE VERY CRITICALLY ILL. >>AND OF COURSE, THE STATE HAS ACTUALLY OFFERED HELP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT- >>THAT'S RIGHT.

>>TO SHIP SOME 30,000 DOSES OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES HERE.

AND AS WE TAPED THE SHOW ON THURSDAY, THE NATION IS REMEMBERING THE JANUARY 6TH RIOT, OF COURSE AT THE US CAPITAL.

YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON THE LEADING NEWS STORIES ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.

WE'RE AT WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, STUDENTS AROUND CENTRAL FLORIDA HEADED BACK TO CLASS THIS WEEK.

IN ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL STAFF ARE AGAIN REQUIRED TO MASK UP AS THE DISTRICT REPORTS ITS HIGHEST CASE COUNT SO FAR FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, AS DANIELLE MENTIONED.

DISTRICTS ARE NOW LEGALLY BARRED FROM REQUIRING STUDENTS TO WEAR FACIAL COVERINGS.

I CHECKED IN THIS WEEK WITH THE LEADER OF THE TEACHER'S UNION IN ORANGE COUNTY AND STARTED BY ASKING HER HOW HER MEMBERS ARE FEELING AS THE SEMESTER BEGINS.

>>TEACHERS ARE WORRIED BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE GOVERNOR HAS THE LAW THAT STUDENTS DON'T HAVE TO WEAR MASKS.

IT'S A PARENTS' DECISION.

TEACHERS NOW ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS, AS THEY SHOULD BE.

THE CDC RECOMMENDATIONS DURING THIS TIME SAY EVERYONE HAS TO WEAR A MASK.

BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOVERNOR WHO HAS POLITICAL AMBITIONS AND DECIDED PARENTS HAVE A CHOICE, SOME STUDENTS ARE STILL THERE WITHOUT A MASK AND EVERYONE IS NOT SAFE IN A CLASSROOM OR IN A OCPS SCHOOL BUILDING.

SO THAT'S THE REALITY.

IT'S NOT A SAFE SITUATION.

THIS IS THE LAST STRAW, THE SAFE AND HEALTHY WORKING CONDITIONS.

IT'S A LAST STRAW TO TEACHERS WHO ARE ALREADY CONSIDERING WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO STAY OR WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE.

SO IT'S A NIGHTMARE AND IT'S A HOT MESS.

>>IT SEEMS, DOESN'T IT, THAT MOST POLICY MAKERS NOW AGREE WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S POSITION THAT SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

DO YOU AGREE THAT IN-PERSON LEARNING SHOULD CONTINUE REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE VIRUS?

>>I THINK THAT THE DECISION TO CLOSE SCHOOLS ULTIMATELY WON'T BE MADE BY POLICY MAKERS, IT'LL BE MADE BY COVID AND IT'LL BE MADE BY THE SPREAD, THE RATE OF SPREAD.

IF IT CONTINUES TO SPREAD AT THIS RATE, SCHOOLS WILL NOT BE OPEN.

THERE WON'T BE TEACHERS TO TEACH, BUS DRIVERS TO DRIVE KIDS TO SCHOOL, AND OTHER STAFF.

THERE WON'T BE CAFETERIA WORKERS.

I THINK THE DECISION IS GOING TO BE MADE BY THE DISEASE.

>>SOME EXPERTS BELIEVE WE'RE ENTERING THE ENDEMIC STAGE OF COVID.

DO YOU THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A BROADER, LONG TERM VISION GOING FORWARD ABOUT HOW EDUCATION METHODS MIGHT CHANGE AS WE ADAPT TO LIVING WITH THE DISEASE?

>>THAT'S SUCH A GREAT QUESTION.

ABSOLUTELY, THEY DO.

PEOPLE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE.

IN MARCH 2020, WE SURE DIDN'T THINK THAT WE WOULD BE SITTING HERE IN JANUARY '22 STILL TALKING ABOUT A PANDEMIC.

EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WOULD GO AWAY.

IT'S NOT GOING AWAY.

WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING AWAY.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE'LL BE OTHER VARIANTS, MORE DANGEROUS VARIANTS.

AND WITH THIS DANGEROUS POLITICAL US AGAINST THEM ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE TO BE SANE AND TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS.

IF WE'RE GOING TO REALLY EDUCATE OUR KIDS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO THAT WHILE PROTECTING THEM AND THE EMPLOYEES.

AND IF IT MEANS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE TO A VIRTUAL MODEL, WE SHOULD BE MAKING THAT MODEL RIGHT NOW SO IT'S THE BEST WE CAN PROVIDE FOR OUR KIDS.

WE CAN'T JUST KEEP DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN.

>>WELL, DISTRICTS ARE REPORTING A HUGE LEAP IN COVID CASES.

DANIELLE, WHAT ARE WE HEARING ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE GOING IN THE CLASSROOMS AS KIDS RETURN AND HAVE DISTRICTS MADE ANY ADJUSTMENTS?

>>THINGS AREN'T GOING WELL.

IN ORANGE COUNTY, WE SAW THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS AND HUNDREDS OF BUS DRIVERS CALL OUT SICK IN JUST THE LAST WEEK.

THEY'RE CRITICALLY UNDERSTAFFED.

WE SAW THERESA JACOBS PLEADING WITH PEOPLE TO PLEASE COME TO WORK IF THEY'RE NOT SICK, IF THEY HAVEN'T TESTED POSITIVE.

AND SO I THINK THE FUTURE IS A LITTLE UNCLEAR.

IN ORANGE COUNTY, AS YOU HAD SAID BEFORE, THEY'RE REQUIRING ADULTS TO WEAR FACE MASKS.

THEY'RE ONE OF THE FEW COUNTIES AND DISTRICTS THAT ARE DOING THAT.

AND THEN IT'S KIND OF THE WILD WEST RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE KIDS CAN'T BE REQUIRED TO WEAR FACE MASKS.

THEY'RE TRYING TO SOCIAL DISTANCE, BUT EVERYBODY'S BACK IN SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE PER THE GOVERNOR'S MANDATE.

SO IT'S JUST AN INTERESTING PLACE TO BE, I'D IMAGINE, RIGHT NOW.

>>YEAH.

AND OF COURSE, ORANGE COUNTY, THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR REGION.

DARALENE, WE HEARD WENDY DOROMAL THERE SAY THAT THE DISEASE WILL DETERMINE WHETHER SCHOOLS WILL STAY OPEN.

IS THERE, AS DANIELLE ALLUDED TO, THERE A RISK OF STAFFING SHORTAGES IF TOO MANY TEACHERS NEED TO QUARANTINE?

>>WELL, ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR, THERESA JACOBS, DID NOT MINCE WORDS WHEN SHE SAID, "IF WE DON'T GET THIS UNDER CONTROL, WE ARE IN JEOPARDY OF HAVING A STAFFING SHORTAGE."

LOOK, ON JUST THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL THIS WEEK, YOU HAD SOMETHING LIKE 700 FACULTY MEMBERS, STAFF MEMBERS, OUT FROM LOCAL SCHOOLS.

THAT MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A LOT, BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE RIPPLE EFFECTS THERE, IT CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS.

AND WHILE DAY TO DAY, THIS WEEK, WE HAVE SEEN THE NUMBERS DROP IN TERMS OF OVERALL IN ORANGE COUNTY POSITIVE CASES IN THE CLASSROOMS.

WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT MORE THAN 40,000 PARENTS DECIDED TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN HOME THIS WEEK.

THAT'S A LARGE NUMBER.

SO THAT EITHER SAYS THEY MAY THINK THEY HAVE THE VIRUS THEMSELVES OR IN THEIR FAMILY, OR THEY'RE JUST AFRAID TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL.

>>PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GET THE VIRUS FROM THEIR KIDS, I GUESS.

DANIELLE, THIS IS INTERESTING.

MANY LEADERS SEEM TO AGREE NOW THAT REMOTE LEARNING IS TOO DAMAGING FOR STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE, PEOPLE FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

I HEARD THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY MAKE THIS VERY CASE THIS WEEK.

>>THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT YESTERDAY AS WELL.

>>AND THE GOVERNOR AS WELL.

THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE THAT POINT A LOT.

HOW DO SCHOOLS IN FLORIDA ADJUST LONG TERM, GIVEN THAT THEY'RE UNABLE TO MANDATE MASKS AND VACCINATIONS HERE?

DOES THIS REQUIRE SOME SORT OF LONG TERM CHANGE, DO YOU THINK?

>>I MEAN, THEY'VE ALREADY MADE THE CHANGES, STEVE, WE'VE SEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

THEY HAVE SOCIAL DISTANCING, THEY'RE DEEP CLEANING, THEY'RE RECOMMENDING FACE MASKS.

THERE REALLY IS NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO.

>>THE UNIONS DISAGREE.

THEY SAY THAT THERE ISN'T SOCIAL DISTANCING.

>>WELL, IT'S BECAUSE ALL THE KIDS ARE BACK AND IT'S HARD.

I USED TO TEACH AND I WOULD HAVE 30 OR 40 KIDS IN A CLASSROOM AND THOSE WERE HIGH SCHOOLERS AND THEY STILL WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT.

IT WAS JUST A SMALL CLASSROOM AND THOSE DESKS ARE SO TIGHTLY PACKED TOGETHER.

SO, YEAH.

THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO BUT REALLY FOLLOW THE HEALTH PROTOCOL THAT YOU CAN ENFORCE.

AND I KNOW IN SOME DISTRICTS LIKE SEMINOLE, THEY'RE ENCOURAGING MORE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS BY PAYING THEM 30 MORE DOLLARS A DAY.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICTS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME INCENTIVES TO GO INTO THESE SCHOOLS AND FILL IN FOR THESE TEACHERS AND BUS DRIVERS WHO ARE ALL GETTING IT AT THE SAME TIME.

THIS OMICRON IS SO HIGHLY INFECTIOUS.

>>I GUESS IF THERE ARE MORE AND MORE TEACHERS OUT, THE CLASSES BECOME BIGGER AND BIGGER.

SO SEMINOLE COUNTY, I THINK SENT OUT TEST KITS TO- >>THEY DID.

>>TEACHERS AS WELL TO TRY- >>WHICH WAS A GOOD IDEA, I GUESS.

BUT I'M GUESSING, ONCE YOU KNOW YOUR STATUS, OBVIOUSLY THEN YOU CAN'T WORK IN PERSON.

>>YOU CAN'T WORK.

YEAH.

>>SO IT'S EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS UNDER STAFFING, AND ALREADY THE SCHOOLS WERE UNDERSTAFFED.

IF YOU RECALL, EVEN A FEW YEARS AGO, GOVERNOR DESANTIS WAS TRYING TO FIX THAT PROBLEM WITH TEACHER RAISES AND BEGINNING TEACHER SALARY BUMPS.

AND THAT HAS JUST BEEN MADE WORSE BY THIS PANDEMIC.

>>YEAH.

DARALENE, LET'S TALK ABOUT VACCINATION.

THE FDA IS NOW RECOMMENDING BOOSTERS FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT PEDIATRIC COVID CASES, ESPECIALLY DURING OMICRON?

AND HERE LOCALLY, LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT.

>>YEAH.

AND WHAT I AM SEEING IS THAT WE'RE STILL SEEING VERY LOW NUMBERS AMONG YOUNGER PEOPLE, SPECIFICALLY YOUNGER PEDIATRICS.

YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE 12 AND YOUNGER.

WHAT IS INTERESTING THOUGH IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CASES ON THESE DASHBOARDS, YOU'LL SEE THAT A LARGER NUMBER OF THE POSITIVE CASES ARE AT SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE AUDIENCE THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY TARGETING.

THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT, THEY'RE GOING OUT, HANGING OUT WITH THEIR FRIENDS ON THE WEEKENDS.

THESE FOLKS ARE STILL JUST GOING ABOUT LIVING THEIR LIVES.

LOOK, EVEN IF THEY ARE VACCINATED AND HAVE HAD BOTH OR EITHER A SINGLE DOSE OF THE VACCINE, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PROTECTED AND THEY'RE OF THE MINDSET, "WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT US TO DO?"

AND SO I DO THINK, STEVE, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO CONVINCE, ABSENT OF PARENT INTERVENTION, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO GET THAT ADOLESCENT GROUP, CONVINCE THEM TO GET YET ANOTHER DOSE OF THIS VACCINE IN TERMS OF A BOOSTER.

>>NO KIDDING.

WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION AS WELL, DANIELLE.

THOSE INSTITUTIONS ARE ABOUT TO RESUME CLASSES NEXT WEEK ON MONDAY.

THE STATE IS INSISTING ON IN-PERSON TUITION.

THIS HAS BEEN A KEY PRIORITY FOR THE GOVERNOR HERE.

HOW DOES FLORIDA COMPARE TO OTHER PLACES IN THAT REGARD?

>>IT'S RARE.

IT'S REALLY RARE.

SO I WENT HOME OVER THE HOLIDAYS TO MICHIGAN.

MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS, WHETHER THAT'S ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGES, THEY'RE ALL ONLINE FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS BACK, STEVE, BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY AND OMICRON SURGE.

EVEN BIG IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS LIKE HARVARD AND STANFORD ARE ONLINE FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS.

SO IT'S REALLY RARE THAT ALL OF OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE BACK IN-PERSON.

NOW I'VE SEEN SOME ARE REQUIRING NEGATIVE TEST RESULTS, WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD IDEA, STRONGLY ENCOURAGING VACCINES, REQUIRING FACE MASKS.

BUT THE GOVERNOR HAS GONE AS FAR AS TO SAY SCHOOLS OWE YOU TUITION IF THEY GO BACK ONLINE.

SO OUR MODEL AND METHOD OF DOING UNIVERSITY IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

>>YEAH.

HE'S CERTAINLY BEEN VERY ADAMANT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE IN CLASSES.

WELL, BE SURE TO FIND US ONLINE.

YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

YOU CAN FIND LOTS MORE OF OUR PROGRAM THERE ON OUR WEBSITE.

ALL RIGHT.

FINALLY, TONIGHT, FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS ON MONDAY.

ONE OF THE ISSUES LAWMAKERS ARE SET TO DISCUSS IS GOVERNOR DESANTIS' PROPOSED STOP WOKE ACT, WHICH TARGETS CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

THE FLORIDA BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS ALREADY BANNED THE TEACHING OF CRT IN FLORIDA SCHOOLS.

THE NEW PROPOSAL WOULD CEMENT THAT RULE INTO LAW AND ALLOW PARENTS TO SUE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS IF THEY INCLUDE CRT IN CLASSES.

IT WOULD ALSO PREVENT STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES FROM HIRING CRT CONSULTANTS AND GO AFTER PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT HAVE QUOTE CRT INSPIRED TRAINING.

>>HOW IS IT NOT A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT TO BE ATTACKING PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR RACE OR TELLING THEM THAT THEY'RE PRIVILEGED OR THAT THEY'RE PART OF OPPRESSIVE SYSTEMS WHEN ALL THEY'RE DOING IS SHOWING UP TO WORK AND TRYING TO EARN A LIVING.

SO WE BELIEVE THAT THIS CORPORATE CRT, IT'S BASICALLY CORPORATE SANCTIONED RACISM AND THEY'RE TRYING TO SHOVE IT DOWN THESE EMPLOYEES THROATS.

WE BELIEVE THAT THAT VIOLATES THE FLORIDA CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS.

BUT AT THE EXTENT IT DOESN'T, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LAW DOES INCLUDE THIS INTO THESE LAWS SO THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE AN ABILITY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST THIS, REALLY, WHICH IS HARASSMENT.

>>WELL, BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THIS, LET ME PLAY YOU PART OF AN INTERVIEW I DID WITH FEDRICK INGRAM FROM THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS LAST YEAR ON FLORIDA'S ANTI-CRT MOVES.

>>WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS WHITEWASH HISTORY AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

FOR MANY YEARS IN THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE WERE TAUGHT THAT CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS DISCOVERED AMERICA AND FOR MANY YEARS THAT REMAINED AS FACT, AND THAT'S NOT FACT.

AND SO WE HAVE TO TEACH THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.

WE HAVE TO TEACH THE TRUTH OF THIS COUNTRY AND PEOPLE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT ALL GOOD.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ARE NOT GOOD.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT A PARTICULAR PEOPLE ARE NOT GOOD.

IT JUST MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE OUR KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE, AND THEY WILL MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT WITH THE TRUTH AND WITH ALL OF THE FACTS THAT COME WITH OUR HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

>>ALL RIGHT, DARALENE, TWO PERSPECTIVES THERE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING.

HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM WHAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DID LAST YEAR?

>>I THINK WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS HOPING IS THAT THIS WILL BUILD ON THE BAN THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE LAST YEAR.

MAYBE PERHAPS JUST ANOTHER LAYER IN WRITING FOCUSED AND REALLY, AS YOU SAID, TARGETING CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND THE 1619 PROJECT.

THIS GOES A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, I SUPPOSE, IN PROVIDING THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INCLUDING UNIVERSITIES, CAN'T HIRE CRITICAL RACE THEORY CONSULTANTS AND ADDS THAT LANGUAGE INTO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CODE PROHIBITING TEACHING CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

SO NOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER LAYER IN BLACK AND WHITE IN WRITING.

>>AND THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE AS IT TRIES TO GO A LITTLE BIT FARTHER, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF THIS LANGUAGE THAT'S QUITE VAGUE.

AND IT SEEMS TO LEND ITSELF, OPENING THE DOOR TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO PERHAPS DO OR TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THEIR EMPLOYERS AND EVEN SOME PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS WHO ARE, AS THE GOVERNOR PUTS IT, CREATING THESE HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENTS.

LOOK, THE GOVERNOR BELIEVES, AND HE HAS SAID TIME OVER TIME, YOU HEARD HIM JUST SAY IT THERE, THAT CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS TEACHING THAT WHITE PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OR FEEL BAD ABOUT WHO THEY ARE.

AND I THINK HE'S TRYING TO PUT AS MANY LAYERS INTO BLACK AND WHITE AS HE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF THIS GETS INTO OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND NOW INTO PRIVATE SECTOR.

>>I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED WAS THE GOVERNOR REFERRED TO CRT INSPIRED TRAINING, AS YOU MENTIONED THERE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

I WONDER WHAT YOU TAKE THAT TO MEAN?

IS HE TALKING ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION TRAINING THAT MANY COMPANIES HAVE, PROBABLY THE COMPANIES THAT YOU AND I WORK FOR?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THIS LANGUAGE IS SO INTERESTING BECAUSE A LOT OF IT IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

IT CAN BE QUITE SUBJECTIVE.

AND SO I THINK WHAT WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO START SEEING IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FEEL IN POWER TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION PERHAPS AGAINST THEIR EMPLOYERS.

AND YOU MAY EVEN HAVE SOME EMPLOYERS WHO NOW FEEL HESITANT TO OFFER DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION TRAINING, WHICH THAT'S A THING THAT'S DONE ON A ROUTINE BASIS NOW AND HAS BEEN FOR MANY YEARS.

AND THE GOAL OF THOSE TRAININGS ARE TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL INCLUDED AND INCLUSIVE IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.

BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE GOVERNOR MAY BE TARGETING SOME OF THESE EMPLOYEE BASED PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION TO GET THESE THINGS OUT OF THE WORKPLACE.

SO THAT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

>>VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TO HAVE FOR SURE.

BUT THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO DANIELLE PRIEUR OF 90.7 WMFE HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH ME AND DARALENE JONES FROM WFTV CHANNEL NINE.

WE'LL SEE YOU ALL NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWS NIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.