Updated: 5:52 PM EDT Apr 27, 2021 The Volusia County School Board met to discuss whether to make masks optional instead of mandatory for the next school year.Several board members cited the science that shows masks stop the spread of the virus. Others feel they do children more harm than good and prevent social interaction.“I do not support changing anything right now based on the recommendations of the Florida Department of Health,” board member Ruben Colon said.“I believe that this is a parental decision and a parental choice just as I believe for our staff, that it should be their choice,” Jamie Haynes said.The board ultimately instructed the school district’s attorney to modify the current mandatory mask policy and make masks optional even earlier than the start of the new school year.They set a July 1 date. The attorney will bring the revised policy back to the board May 11, where they will vote on it.
A decision regarding face coverings, which stemmed from Wednesday’s special meeting of the Amarillo Independent School District Board of Trustees, is set to go into effect beginning Monday for some students and staff.
After Wednesday’s four-hour special meeting resulting in a 4-3 vote, the Amarillo ISD board took action to allow students in pre-K through fifth grade, as well as staff at elementary campuses and visitors to those campuses, the option on whether or not they want to wear a face covering while on campus. This includes the staff who teach fifth grade at Lorenzo de Zavala Middle School.
Amarillo ISD Board of Trustees votes to keep mask mandate until May 17, with exceptions
Nearly four hours from when Wednesday’s special meeting of the Amarillo Independent School District Board of Trustees began, board members voted on a measure that will affect the district’s face-covering policy for some students and staff beginning Monday.
In a 4-3 vote, the district’s board decided to continue to follow the face-covering guidelines set by the Texas Education Agency with some exceptions. Starting Monday, students in pre-K through fifth grade will not be required to wear masks and the district’s superintendent, Doug Loomis, will have the power to implement further mask breaks including during class transitions, recess and outdoor activities.
This is March 2021, right?
I m checking because I am almost certain that for a short time last Tuesday we entered a time warp that took us back at least a few decades.
How else to explain how the Volusia County School Board muffed a simple opportunity to support LGBTQ+ students?
Or maybe some School Board members truly don t get that LGBTQ+ students still face continued obstacles to being accepted.
But at a moment when the School Board could have provided support, members instead flinched.
Here are the particulars, as reported by The News-Journal s Cassidy Alexander.
On Tuesday, board members were set to vote on a resolution declaring March 22-26 as LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week an umbrella term including students who identify as homosexual, bisexual, transgender or other.