Osceola County begins mask mandate at schools with opt-out choice

Some students in Osceola County are now required to wear face masks in class unless their parents opt them out.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - Some students in Osceola County are now required to wear face masks in class unless their parents opt them out.

The Osceola County School Board decided to make that change last week. However, it only affects certain grade levels.

The school board will require that K through 8 students wear masks for 30 days starting Monday. Parents will be able to opt their children out of wearing masks through writing.

For now, masks in high schools will remain optional.

MORE NEWS: Schools in Florida’s capital city impose mask mandate

A three-day court hearing is set to begin Monday regarding DeSantis and if the Florida constitution gives the state the right to overrule districts on health matters.

Osceola County mandates masks for most students with opt-out choice

The school board will require that K through 8 students wear masks for 30 days starting Monday.

"Forcing young kids to wear masks all day, these kindergartners, having the government to force them, that’s not defying me, that is defying the State of Florida’s laws," DeSantis said. "This is not something we are making up. This is what the state law says. These emergency orders implement the law that the Legislature passed and I can tell you there are a lot of members of the Legislature who say, ‘Wait a minute – you are just above the law? You think you can do whatever you want?’ That’s not the way it is."

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