(Audacy) — Over the past 10 days, 15 staff members of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools District in Florida have died from COVID-19.
Sonia Diaz, a spokesperson for several unions in the school district, confirmed the number of deaths, according to NBC6. Students in the district returned to class Aug. 23, and it remains unclear when the staff members may have contracted the virus.
Abe Coleman, one of the deceased staff members, was a teacher for more than three decades. He died Sept. 1 at age 55.
Coleman taught at Holes Elementary School in the Liberty City area of Miami. He also served as a mentor and site director for the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Program at Holmes.
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“It’s a tremendous loss. The number of lives that he impacted are countless. So many young men had the benefit of him intervening in their lives and pointing them in the right direction," said Marcus Bright of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence mentor program.
Liberty City is predominately Black, and 42% of its population is living below the poverty line, according to FIU Metropolitan Center.
“In particular, he was a bridge builder for the students there. He connected them with opportunity, with resources, with infrastructures of opportunity that fed into and contributed to their development,” Bright said of Coleman.
He said Coleman’s work as a mentor was particularly important because the school is located across the street from the Liberty Square Housing Project, which benefits from community resources like the program.
“I'm confident that his legacy will live on in the next site director and all of those educators that are a part of Holmes Elementary School and the Liberty City community,” Bright added.
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“Mr. Abe Coleman was a highly motivated, dedicated, and inspirational site director for the Holmes Elementary Role Models chapter and never missed a day. The pandemic did not deter him,” said Congresswoman Fredricka Wilson, founder of 5000 Role Models.
Coleman leaves behind a wife and son.
Officials haven't released the identities of the other teachers or staff members. A Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesperson said the district doesn't release the cause of death for employees or students.
“The loss of any of our employees is one that is always profoundly felt as every member of this organization is considered a part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools family,” the district said in a statement. “We extend our hearts and prayers to the loved ones of those whose lives have recently been lost.”
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that students and staff wear masks for in-person education, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order banning mask mandates in schools.
While the outlet said DeSantis has been dismissive of vaccines for COVID-19, he has promoted antibody treatments on social media.
The Florida Health Department was sued earlier this week by the Florida Center for Government Accountability and Democratic state Rep.
Carlos Guillermo Smith for not providing detailed daily statistics about Florida’s surging COVID-19 cases, according to The Huffington Post.
