Masks keep students and teachers safe. Will Manatee school board continue its mandate?
The School Board of Manatee County will review its current mask policy at Tuesday’s meeting, as daily COVID-19 cases continue into the second semester.
The board has required masks on school property and buses for nearly six months, starting in early August, when the board approved an emergency mask mandate.
Since the emergency action expired after three months, the board reconvened on Nov. 10 and established a new section in district policy. The policy on disease prevention — first approved in 2017 — was updated to include a measure inspired by COVID-19.
Board members can now vote to activate and deactivate the mask mandate whenever a pandemic threatens the community. The board voted unanimously to activate the policy last November, including a requirement that board members revisit the mandate every 90 days.
That conversation is planned for Tuesday’s meeting, scheduled for 5:45 p.m. at the School Support Center, 215 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton. Board meetings are also broadcast live on Spectrum Channel 646 and Frontier Channel 39, along with the Manatee Schools Television website, mstv.us.
According to the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, district leaders were hopeful that board members would continue the mask policy until the next scheduled review on April 27. A majority of board members said they plan to follow that recommendation.
“Due to current conditions that exist in Manatee County, the District recommends no changes to the Policy at this time,” the agenda states.
The Florida Department of Health reported 29,230 confirmed cases and 506 deaths in Manatee County as of Friday. On Wednesday, the county’s daily positivity rate was more than 6 percent (the World Health Organization recommended a goal of 5 percent or less in May).
And in local schools and district offices, the number of COVID-19 cases and exposures have tripled in the second semester, according to a review by the Bradenton Herald.
In the first semester of the 2020-21 school year, there were 54 confirmed cases and 784 exposures during the first four weeks of school.
In the first four weeks of the current semester, which began in early January, there have been 180 cases and 2,534 exposures.
School board member Scott Hopes and Chairman Charlie Kennedy said the mask mandate was allowing schools to remain open, especially as more students return to campus and social distancing becomes more difficult.
“Our protocols are working,” said Hopes, who has a master of public health degree in epidemiology and biostatistics. “We still have a prevalence and a high incidence rate of COVID in the community. The vaccine roll-out is slow because of the limited availability. A very small percentage of our population has been vaccinated.”
“Wearing masks is the most critical aspect of those protocols,” he continued.
Vice-Chair James Golden said he would support the policy until more people were vaccinated, as did Mary Foreman, who pointed to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
She said it was vital to follow CDC recommendations as the COVID-19 pandemic continued.
“The use of masks is one of many important mitigation strategies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” the guidance states. “Masks offer some protection to the wearer and are also meant to protect others, in case the wearer is infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.”
“Consistent and correct use of masks is most important when students, teachers, and staff are indoors and when social distancing is difficult to implement or maintain,” it continues.
However, the CDC guidance advised against face coverings for children younger than 2, along with anyone who has trouble breathing or removing the mask without help.
The school board has approved a list of “allowances” to the policy, making it clear that masks were not required during recess, physical education or lunch. The board also provided some alternatives for students with disabilities and students in prekindergarten through fifth grade.
With the support of at least four board members, including Hopes, Kennedy Foreman and Golden, the board was unlikely to stray from its mask policy on Tuesday evening. Board member Gina Messenger could not be reached for comment on Friday.
To address the board on Tuesday visit manateeschools.net, navigate to the “District” tab, click on “School Board” and then “Minutes and Agendas.” Anyone can use the website to sign up and speak either in person or over the phone.
To submit a public comment in advance, send an email to public_comment@manateeschools.net.
This story was originally published February 7, 2021 at 5:00 AM.