Code enforcement looking into possible violation of mask mandate at Bradenton private school
Manatee County code enforcement is looking into a potential violation of the county’s mask mandate at Inspiration Academy after photos and video were posted on Facebook showing students at the private school sitting or dancing closely together — many not wearing masks — during a “welcome back assembly.”
Last month, the Manatee County Board of Commissioners enacted a resolution mandating that masks be worn inside all business establishments when social distancing of more than six feet was not possible.
Schools and religious institutions are not exempt.
The private school’s seven-page-long re-opening plan, which is posted on the homepage of the school’s website, contradicts that county mandate.
“As a community, we have allowed each family, faculty, and staff to decide for themselves whether to wear a mask or not. We respect the opinion of all our stakeholders and want to ensure everyone is comfortable with their choices. Inspiration Academy does recommend the wearing of a face mask as recommended by the CDC guidelines,” the plan states.
Manatee County Public Safety Director Jacob Saur confirmed that the county was aware of the situation and that officials were looking into it.
A phone call to the school late Tuesday afternoon seeking comment went to voicemail.
“This summer, we have been diligently and intentionally seeking God’s guidance as we develop a plan for the re-opening of IA,” the school’s re-opening plan states. “We have developed and will continue to refine our re-opening plan as we strive to provide our students with the utmost safety while empowering their minds in an on-campus learning environment.”
The school claims to have consulted with the Florida Department of Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Association of Christian Teachers and Schools, The Johns Hopkins University, Southern Association of Independent Schools and the Florida Department of Health.
It was unclear if the re-opening plan had been approved by the education or health departments.
The plan also included a liability waiver claiming the school, its board members, employees, agents, insurers and representatives “are not liable for any illness contracted in our building, outdoor facilities, and playing fields, including but not limited to COVID-19.”
County code enforcement officers were tasked by the county commissioners to enforce the mask resolution.
According to that resolution, a business will be given a written warning for the first offense. A second offense can carry a fine of $50, a third offense can carry a fine of $125 and a fourth and each subsequent offense carries a fine of $250.
No fines have been levied since the measure was adopted.
Code enforcement officers instead have been working with local businesses to educate them on the resolution, as well as resources that are available for businesses to deal with the pandemic or any costs associated implementing safety precautions.
This story was originally published August 18, 2020 at 4:28 PM.
