Broward schools win decision against teachers as controversy grows over ‘spying’ on social media

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. – An arbitration order released Monday night agreed with Broward County Public Schools, saying the district may require teachers to return to the classroom to meet the school’s operational needs.

The order follows an action brought by the teachers’ union on behalf of 1,700 teachers with basic health problems who had been given accommodation to work from home, but were later informed that they should return to classrooms.

“This is a victory for our students,” said superintendent Robert Runcie.

Of the 1,700 teachers with accommodation, the district says more than 600 have received extensions.

The teachers’ union does not see the arbitration order as a total loss, saying the order also forces principals to justify their decisions about requiring some teachers to work in the building.

We are also learning that, during the three-day referee, the school district used social media posts from teachers who had accommodations to show that they were out and about during the pandemic.

“I didn’t know that they would have the audacity and the deplorable decision to get people into high gear,” said Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union.

A recording of someone who attended the conference shows a social media post by James Keith Calloway being pointed out, adding that he is unmasked.

Calloway spoke to Local 10 News last week. He is among 340 educators in Broward who have decided to retire, saying he preferred health to work.

On Tuesday, he told us that the photo that was taken showing him without a mask was from 2019.

Local 10 News asked the district about the use of social media photos and why they may have used a 2019 Calloway photo, but we are still waiting for a response.