COASTAL VOLUSIA

Volusia School Board approves emergency mask policy, for now

Cassidy Alexander

calexander@news-jrnl.com

In other parts of the world, students have already been wearing masks to school. But in Florida and the U.S., mask requirements have been a big topic of debate.

The Volusia County School Board have approved an emergency policy requiring that everyone at schools wear masks during the coronavirus pandemic — but this won’t be the last time the mask issue comes up.

The policy board members approved on Tuesday will expire after 90 days. The whole point is to give them time to come up with something more permanent, explained the district’s attorneys.

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[READ THE POLICY HERE]

Having more time is just fine with board members, who continued to debate whether or not the policy was strict enough or clear enough.

The temporary policy passed unanimously because, as board member Ruben Colon put it, “on an emergency basis, this is better than nothing.”

[VOLUSIA STUDENTS: Tell us how you feel about back-to-school plans]

The policy requires that students, staff and visitors to physical campuses wear a mask or face covering wherever social distancing is not feasible. It called compliance a “health issue” rather than a discipline issue. And it states that the school district will provide the coverings “to the extent possible.”

Board members are still concerned the policy isn’t specific enough. It’s based on “social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” but Colon questioned whether that meant six feet or three feet. They talked again about whether there should be specific discipline procedures for students who are not in compliance. And they wondered what would happen to staff or visitors who refuse to comply.

“We’re setting teachers up for failure,” Colon predicted. Linda Cuthbert and Carl Persis agreed the policy should be more specific, but for now district staff is going to coordinate with school administrators to set clear expectations and procedures, rather than including them in writing in the emergency policy.

“I don’t think this is going to be as hard as enforcing the dress code,” Persis said, “but we’ve got to start out right and be consistent.”

The mask debate is not new to government bodies during the coronavirus pandemic. There’s been division for months in the country about the effectiveness of masks, and whether residents can be required to wear them.

But earlier this week, a Florida judge ruled that a Palm Beach mask ordinance did not infringe on any constitutional rights. And while some cities and counties continue not to take a stance or make recommendations over mandates, others have been quicker to require face coverings in enclosed public spaces.

In Volusia County, the cities Daytona Beach, DeLand and Orange City have all passed mask ordinances.