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Two Florida school districts that previously defied governor over mask rules ease protocols amid improving COVID-19 conditions

November 10, 2021
Henry Club

Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Broward County School Board announced their decisions Tuesday to remove requirements for K-8 students and staff to wear face coverings, while still strongly encouraging their use.

The changes to Miami-Dade, which will take effect Friday, come after the superintendent announced a similarly relaxed policy for senior high schools and middle schools last week. Last month, a same change Face masks made optional but encouraged in Broward high schools and technical colleges.

Two districts were among eight that stuck to their mask mandate, despite the GOP government’s threat to cut school funding by Ron DeSantis. The governor issued an executive order allowing parents to decide whether their children should wear masks in schools, but some school boards decided to disregard the order.

In response, the Florida Board of Education voted last month for approval eight districts. Florida Board of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran requested that “an amount equal to 1/12 of the salaries of all school board members” be withheld for each district, in addition to the federal grant money provided by President Joe to those districts. Any amount equal to Rs. Biden’s administration.
In Miami-Dade County, the COVID-19 positivity rate dropped by 2%, well below the threshold set for K-8 students to exit the mandate, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said during a news conference. He said that in the school district, 63% of eligible children have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and 83% have received at least one dose.

“We have consulted once again with our medical experts after we obtained overwhelming consensus about today’s announcement,” Carvalho said.

In a statement, the district noted, “While local conditions have improved and the school district is revising its COVID-19 protocols, CDC continues to recommend universal masking in schools, regardless of vaccination status.” “

Meanwhile, in Broward County, school boards on Tuesday evening voted to strongly encourage face masks in schools, making them optional through November 20.

According to interim superintendent Dr. Vicki L. Cartwright, Broward County Public Schools will begin offering immunizations to students at some of their elementary schools with parental permission from Wednesday.

Broward County Public Schools is the sixth largest school district in the country, with more than 270,000 students and approximately 30,000 employees, according to its website. And the Miami-Dade Public Schools website shows that it is the fourth largest school district in the nation, with more than 334,000 students and nearly 41,000 employees.

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