If a school has a positive rate of 5% or higher, masks will be required until the cases are under control.
The board rejected a stricter suggestion that added a medical opt-out if Gov. Ron DeSantis loses his appeal on the school mask mandate issue.
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Anti, pro-masking demonstrators clash ahead of Lake County School Board meeting Police were called to the Lake County School District office building after a faceoff between pro-mask and anti-mask crowds became heated. (Nick Papantonis)
Teachers and staff at the affected schools will also be required to wear masks.
“This is all about the kids and doing every single thing we can do,” said Amanda Lauren, a parent. “Even if we keep two kids more safe than what they were last week, then we’ve accomplished something. We cannot continue to allow political beliefs and personal beliefs to impact the safety and the welfare of our neighbors’ children. This is a community effort.”
After the meeting, School Board Chair Bill Mathias said he’s glad to see an agreement on safely moving forward.
“It still protects their parental rights at the same time it answers the call for administrators who said they desperately need to do something to get it under control and so we really did thread the needle on this,” Mathias said.
The new policy starts Monday for schools with the highest infection rates, and parents are scheduled to be notified on Friday.
Officials said the system will work based on new data analyzed from the health department every two weeks.
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