MARTIN COUNTY, Fla — Moving forward, masks in schools will be left behind.
"I spend my days with students who are younger than 12," said Nancy Bentz, Martin County teacher. "They're not vaccinated. They're going to be spreading the virus."
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Friday banning the enforcement of masks in schools.
"A couple days ago, I have a teacher friend that's vaccinated and got COVID and was very ill for two weeks," Bentz said.
"What we would like is for local elected officials to have that ability to make decisions that are best for their students and their staff," said Matt Theobald, Martin County teacher.
Currently, no Treasure Coast districts have mandatory mask mandates.
"It's become so political, it shouldn't be political," said Bentz.
With no virtual option, students are scheduled to fully return to campus next month.
"We do have to take care of each other, and as a local school district who better to take care of one another and our friends and our neighbors," Theobald said. "I feel like the governor has kind of taken that away from us."