ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — For weeks, the mask-vs-no-mask debate in Central Florida has been driven by passionate parents arguing for collective safety or individual freedom.
On the first day of school, however, some left it up to their children to make a decision.
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I had let it be his choice if he wants to wear a mask,” Daniel Chillon said, adding that his son wore a mask Tuesday. “I’m OK with it. If he doesn’t want to wear a mask all he has to do is let us know and we’ll write a letter.”
Other parents outside the school confirmed most children wore their favorite colorful coverings as they greeted friends and teachers.
The district spokesman said officials were still working out a way to track which kids had turned in notes opting them out of the new policy.
“There will eventually be a way to report them through the district,” OCPS Chief Communications Officer Scott Howat explained. “Right now, it’ll just be at the classroom level.”
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Parents acknowledged that not everything was expected to go perfectly as the year got underway.
“Everyone’s going to get sick at the beginning.” Courtney Coolich said. “You know, it happens regardless, you know, with kids back together. It just happens, but you know, maybe the masks will kind of stop that a little bit.”
READ: Here’s how quarantining will work in Orange County schools this school year
Orange County’s semi-mask mandate policy is set to expire after 30 days, unless leaders decide to extend it.
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