JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After nearly two months in effect, the mask requirement within Duval County Public Schools was automatically relaxed Friday when the COVID-19 community transmission data met the second of two key thresholds set by the school board.
The suspension returns the district’s policy on face masks to its previous status before the emergency rule was introduced; Face masks are still required but parents again have the ability to opt their children out of the mandate without the required form from a medical professional.
MORE ONLINE: Face mask protocol information for parents
After the mandate was imposed, the school board approved recommendations from Superintendent Diana Greene to suspend the emergency rule when “the rolling seven-day positivity rate declines to 7.99% or less and the rolling seven-day new case count per 100,000 people declines to 49.99 or fewer.”
Weeks after the positivity rate met its criteria, the Florida Department of Health reported Friday that Duval County’s seven-day infection rate dropped to 41.2 cases per 100,000 population.
The district’s mask mandate, as well as those in eight other Florida school districts, prompted state action from the DeSantis administration, including the withholding of state funds in an amount equal to the salaries of school board members and any federal grants that are received as a result.
Duval County School Superintendent Dianna Greene sent all public school parents this message just after 5 p.m. Friday:
“Thank you for working so cooperatively with your schools to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Our strategies and our collective commitment have helped reduce community transmission to a level where we can adjust our mask protocol for students.
“Beginning next week, masks will still be required, but any parent who wants to opt their child out of wearing a mask may do so without medical documentation.
“If you opted your student out earlier in the year, you do not need to do it again. If you haven’t opted out, but want to do so, you can find that opt out form in FOCUS.
“I want to again thank everyone for partnering with your teachers and school leaders through this extraordinary challenge of education during a pandemic. There have clearly been no easy answers or universally accepted solutions.
“I am encouraged that our community transmission status continues to improve and hopeful that we can all come together around of the common goal of providing exceptional learning experiences and outstanding achievement for your children.”