MIRAMAR, Fla. – Tropical Storm Eta’s flooding forced officials to close 40 public schools in South Florida, but some believe more schools should have been closed to give parents, students, and teachers a chance to recover from the storm.
Miami-Dade County Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and Broward County Superintendent Robert Runcie are dealing with issues of water penetration, power loss, and flooding. In some cases, the flooding was blocking access to the schools.
Linda Lewis, of the Federation of Public Employees Union, said it was dangerous to send school bus drivers out to pick up children hours after the storm. She said many school drivers couldn’t even leave their homes.
“Going out there, it’s not healthy,” Lewis said. “It’s not a safe environment even if they brought you to your bus.”
Anna Fusco, the president of the Broward Teachers Union, said some frustrated parents complained that they didn’t learn about the school closure until Tuesday morning. She believes the districts are under pressure from Gov. Ron DeSanti’s administration not to close schools during the coronavirus pandemic.
There were 17 schools closed in Miami-Dade and 23 schools in Broward. Online education was still an option although many homes still were dealing with power outages. Most of the schools were in Hialeah, Miami Lakes, Davie, Miramar, Weston and Pembroke Pines.
Schools will be closed on Wednesday for Veterans Day.
MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS
17 schools closed: 5 in Hialeah, 5 in Miami Gardens and 3 in Miami Lakes. The 4 others were in Golden Glades, Opa-locka, Kendall and Key Biscayne.
- American Senior at 18350 NW 67th Ave., in Hialeah
- Barbara Goleman Senior at 14100 NW 89th Ave #1384, Miami Lakes
- Bob Graham Educational Center at 15901 NW 79th Ave, Miami Lakes
- Bob Graham Primary Learning Center at 15901 NW 79th Ave, Miami Lakes
- Brentwood Elementary in 3101 NW 191st St., Miami Gardens
- Charles David Wyche, Jr. Elementary at 5241 NW 195th Dr., Miami Gardens
- Ernest R. Graham K-8 Academy at 7330 W 32nd Ave., Hialeah
- Gloria Floyd Elementary at 12650 SW 109th Ave., in Kendall
- Joella C. Good Elementary at 6350 NW 188th Terrace, Hialeah
- Key Biscayne K-8 Center at 601 Ridgewood Rd, Key Biscayne
- Lake Stevens Elementary at 5101 NW 183rd St., in Opa-locka
- Lake Stevens Middle at 18484 NW 48th Pl., in Miami Gardens
- Linda Lentin K-8 Center at 14312 NE 2nd Ct., in Golden Glades
- M.A. Milam K-8 Center at 6020 W 16th Ave., Hialeah
- Miami Carol City Senior at 3301 Miami Gardens Dr., Miami Gardens
- North County K-8 Center at 3250 NW 207th St., Miami Gardens
- Westland Hialeah Senior at 4000 W 18th Ave., Hialeah.
BROWARD COUNTY
23 schools closed: 4 in Davie, 4 in Miramar, 3 in Weston, 3 in Pembroke Pines, 2 in Pompano Beach, 2 in Hollywood, and 2 in Lauderhill. The 3 others were in Southwest Ranches, Plantation, Fort Lauderdale.
- Apollo Middle School at 6800 Arthur St., in Hollywood.
- Hollywood Park ES at 901 N 69th Way, in Hollywood
- Chapel Trail ES at 19595 Taft St., in Pembroke Pines.
- Everglades HS at 17100 SW 48th Ct., in Miramar.
- Fairway ES at 7850 Fairway Blvd., in Miramar.
- Miramar ES at 6831 SW 26th St, in Miramar.
- New Renaissance Middle School at 10701 Miramar Blvd., in Miramar.
- Silver Palms Elementary School at 1209 NW 155th Ave., in Pembroke Pines.
- Silver Trail Middle School at 18300 Sheridan St., in Southwest Ranches.
- West Broward High School at 500 NW 209th Ave., in Pembroke Pines.
- Castle Hill Elementary School at 2640 NW 46th Ave, in Lauderhill.
- Dillard Elementary School at 2330 NW 12th Ct., in Fort Lauderdale
- Endeavour Primary Learning Center at 2701 NW 56th Ave., in Lauderhill.
- Flamingo Elementary School at 1130 SW 133rd Ave., in Davie.
- Fox Trail Elementary School at 1250 S Nob Hill Rd., in Davie.
- Gator Run ES at 1101 Glades Pkwy., in Weston.
- Indian Ridge MS at 1355 S Nob Hill Rd., in Davie.
- Manatee Bay ES at 19200 Manatee Isles Dr., in Weston.
- Seminole MS at 6200 SW 16th St., in Plantation.
- Tequesta Trace MS at 1800 Indian Trace #3331, in Weston.
- Western HS at 1200 SW 136th Ave, in Davie.
- C. Robert Markham Elementary School at 1501 NW 15th Ave., in Pompano Beach.
- Norcrest Elementary School at 3951 NE 16th Ave., in Pompano Beach.