Central Florida public schools reopen during the next two weeks with COVID cases spiking and mask policies ranging from mandates that allow parents to opt out to guidelines making them optional.
What You Need To Know
- Face mask policies different by county in Central Florida's public schools
- Parents make the final decision in all counties
- Orange and Seminole counties require masks unless parents opt out
- Some officials said going without a mask as COVID is prevalent could increase students' risk
In reality, all Central Florida schools leave the final decision up to parents, but some counties wanted to emphasize the importance that officials place on the significance of wearing a mask. Face coverings will provide some protection against the spread of COVID-19 as cases surge and students are gathered in close quarters, Orange County officials said at Monday's COVID news briefing. Social distancing cannot be ensured, officials pointed out.
Orange and Seminole counties announced Friday that those districts require parents to notify schools by sending a note on the first day of school indicating they opt out of their child wearing a mask.
Meanwhile, school officials in Sumter and Flagler counties confirmed Monday that masks remain optional for both students and teachers, but they do recommend face coverings.
In Lake County, officials said masks are encouraged for both students and teachers but are not required at this time. The school board will meet Monday night, and "safety protocols" are expected to be on the agenda. However, the agenda item was added primarily because of a change in quarantine recommendations from Florida’s surgeon general, a district spokesperson said.
In Brevard, the school board has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, and face coverings are expected to be a topic of discussion. At this time, the district does not have a mask mandate, and a spokesperson said that is not expected to change as a result of that meeting.
Masks also remain optional for both students and teachers in Osceola, Volusia and Marion counties.
Gov. DeSantis' office says while it will allow school district mask mandates that offer "opt-outs" for parents, it will punish school districts that do not follow those rules, with narrowly tailored financial consequences.
"For example, the State Board of Education could move to withhold the salary of the district superintendent or school board members, as a narrowly tailored means to address the decision-makers who led to the violation of law," DeSantis' office said.
