Seminole school board holds emergency meeting on face masks

Seminole County School Board to hold meeting on face masks

Two local school districts will discuss requiring face masks despite Governor Ron DeSantis' ban on such policies.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - Seminole and Lake County school boards held meeting on Thursday to discuss face mask policies.

Seminole County has reported more than 1,300 coronavirus cases so far this year. Right now, face masks are required but parents can submit a note to opt their child out.

At the beginning of the school year, a little more than 16-percent of students opted out.

During an emergency meeting on Thursday, parents and the public were invited to speak up and give their opinion on what they want to happen. At times, the debate got heated.

The mask debate has been an ongoing controversy in Seminole County among parents and the discussion could once again get heated as it did at the beginning of summer.

There are currently 14 school districts in the state that are enforcing a mask mandate despite the governor’s executive order. A judge recently ruled that the governor’s attempt to ban mask mandates is unlawful.

After several hours, Lake County's school board decided not to take any action yet on the Superintendent's recommendation of a mask requirement for schools that reach a 5% positivity rate.

"The requirement would remain in place at those schools until their positivity rate drops below 5 percent and those rates are maintained for 14 days. Parents who did not want their children to wear masks would be allowed to opt-out, in alignment with current law. Board members will schedule another meeting, possibly next week, specifically to vote on this issue."

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