HOLMES BEACH – As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Manatee County School Board voted 3-2 on Aug. 24 to extend a temporary mask mandate it passed on Aug. 16 requiring all students and staff to wear masks on campus.
The mandate includes an opt-out clause requiring parents to fill out an online form if they do not want their child to wear a mask.
Staff members also may opt out of the mask mandate.
The school board also approved a motion that would allow the superintendent to remove the mandate if the 7-day COVID-19 positivity rate in Manatee County is 8% or less. Otherwise, the mandate expires on Oct. 29.
When the Aug. 16 meeting was held, there were fewer than 700 cases of COVID-19 in Manatee County schoolchildren and fewer than 200 cases among staff. Anna Maria Elementary had reported two student cases of COVID-19 at that time.
Since then, the numbers at Anna Maria Elementary have risen to six students since the first day of school on Aug. 10 and 1,337 students countywide. Staff COVID-19 cases are currently at 220 countywide.
While mask mandates are illegal under Florida law, some school districts have passed them despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ warning that state funds can be withheld from those districts. Nearby districts that have passed mandates without opt-out clauses include Sarasota and Hillsborough. So far, no action has been taken by the state against the districts.
COVID-19 procedures in Manatee County schools
- All students and employees who are sick or who have symptoms will be sent home
until they are symptom-free. - Temperature checks will be taken daily for all employees and randomly for students.
- Reinforce and practice proper handwashing techniques among students and staff.
- Provide and encourage the use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Deep clean and disinfect schools and school buses daily, or in-between uses as
needed. - Make every effort to social distance as much as possible in schools.
- District employees visiting schools, other than their own, must wear masks during the
school day. - Provide plastic shields in elementary classrooms and cafeterias where possible.
- All employees will answer COVID-related questions daily upon arriving at work.
- Limit non-essential visitors and volunteers to school campuses.
- Everyone eligible to be vaccinated is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.
