Lack of Mask Mandate is Unacceptable
The Pasco County Democratic Party is calling for Pasco County Schools to adopt strict mask requirements at or before the next School Board meeting. We want our Superintendent and School Board Members to prioritize the safety of students and staff the same way thirteen other school districts in Florida are doing.
Kelly Smith, Chair of the Pasco County Democratic Party said, “Today’s School Board meeting was the first meeting since Judge Cooper’s ruling that Governor DeSantis’ order banning mask mandates in public schools is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced. I was shocked to learn that today’s School Board agenda did not include a discussion on mask mandates especially as Pasco County’s 14-day average positivity rate is still at 20% and our vaccination rate is barely 55%.”
CDC guidance emphasizes implementing layered prevention strategies to protect students, teachers, staff, visitors, and other members of their households and support in-person learning. These strategies include maintaining at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, screening testing, handwashing, contact tracing in combination with quarantine and isolation, and cleaning and disinfection. Due to the circulating and highly contagious Delta variant, the CDC recommends universal indoor masking by all students (age 2 and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Many schools serve children under the age of 12 who are not eligible for vaccination at this time. It is advised that localities monitor community transmission, vaccination coverage, screening testing, and occurrence of outbreaks to guide decisions on the level of layered prevention strategies.
“It is not safe for students and staff to be indoors without masks, regardless of vaccination status, due to the low vaccination rate and the high positivity rate in Pasco County. This is especially true for students under the age of 12 who are ineligible to be vaccinated. The Superintendent and School Board have an obligation to make sure our students are being educated. Kids can’t be educated if they’re not well enough to attend school. Strict mask requirements mean fewer students and staff are getting sick. Fewer sick students and staff means more time in the classroom learning. If the education of students is the priority, and I believe it is, then a mask mandate just makes sense.” Smith said.