Gov. DeSantis attempts to reassure anxious parents about sending kids back to school

LAKE MARY, Fla. - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday let parents know that they can rest assured in sending their kids back into the classroom. 

DeSantis agrees that parents should have the choice of whether or not they want to send their children back to school this fall.

"As a father of three young kids, I do not fear this virus' effect on my kids. I think the risk is incredibly low," said DeSantis. "I think it would be safe for them."

Earlier this month, the Florida Department of Education suggested school districts should plan on in-person classes to start by August 17. Districts are now making their own plans.

Sending children back to the classroom has become a politically charged topic for teachers, parents, and school administrators.

The coronavirus pandemic as a whole has been politicized in Florida and the nation. One sign the governor is feeling the heat is the release of a two-minute video on social media that looks and sounds like a political campaign advertisement.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

In recent weeks, the governor's leadership has come under fire, not just by Democrats but some members of his own party. Floridians are growing frustrated over job losses, the debate over whether to reopen schools and the state's spiking number of COVID-19 cases.

The video features snippets from area mayors uniformly lauding the governor's handling of the outbreak. Some of those same mayors also have expressed concern about the state's response to the pandemic.

Some information taken from the Associated Press.