School Mask Policy Poised To End Friday In Manatee County: Report

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — After hearing comments from parents and other citizens at its Tuesday meeting, the Manatee County School Board is one step closer to ending the district’s mask mandate.

All members of the board indicated their support of ending Policy 8450, which requires students, teachers, staff and visitors to wear masks at school Tuesday. Their official vote on the policy comes Friday, though.

Because the board published a public notice about the potential policy change April 30, they are required by law to wait at least 28 days from its publication date to vote on it, the Bradenton Herald reported.

Ahead of Friday’s vote, the board said masks will be optional during summer school classes and in the 2021-22 school year, WWSB reported.

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Charlie Kennedy, board chair, called it “a common-sense solution that respects the individual rights of our employees and out families.”

He added, “We may have families or employees who feel safer to wear a mask and that should be respected. And we should respect the choices of those who don’t think that the mask provides any protection.”

Some board members thought the policy should be repealed altogether.

"I do think the board made a decision it needed to make in order to reopen schools. There is no point in rehashing this...I support removing the (policy) section. It's the simplest and cleanest way of dealing with this,” Gina Messenger, school board member, said, according to the Observer.

The board will convene Friday at 9 a.m. for a special meeting.