Orange County Public Schools has lost 40 employees after a federal court ruling involving Temporary Protected Status for Haitians living in the United States. The ruling affected 40 support staff members, most of whom worked in food services.

Impact on the School District

According to the district, one of the affected employees was an hourly worker, and another was a program specialist. OCPS School Board member Stephanie Vanos expressed concern over the loss, stating that it is a huge loss for the school district and the community.

The employees played important roles in supporting students and keeping schools operating each day. Vanos said the district learned about the employment issue at the end of July and has since filled the vacancies ahead of the start of classes.

In a statement, Orange County Public Schools said that although the loss of any staff member is felt across the schools and community, the recent consolidation of seven schools has created staffing flexibility that allows the district to fill these positions with existing personnel.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.