FORT PIERCE, Fla. — School boards in St. Lucie and Indian River counties will be discussing their school masking policies this week.
A group met Monday in Fort Pierce to encourage stronger mask mandates.
Dr. Alejandro Miquel of Florida Community Health Centers said his group just opened up a new clinic at the Village Resource Center in Lincoln Park.
He met with the group Faith in Florida, and other community leaders, who would like to see parental opt-outs eliminated.
"If that means we have to go above and beyond and err on the side of caution, that's what we have to do," said Miquel.
Dr. Rosalind Osgood, chair of the Broward County School Board, said despite Gov. Ron DeSantis' court victory Friday that, for now, allows him to punish school districts that require facial coverings, Broward will keep its mask mandates in place.
"We have to have mask mandates in public schools in order to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on students and staff," said Osgood.
A spokeswoman with St. Lucie County schools said, at this point, there is no plan to get rid of their parental opt-out.
About 10% of the district students do not wear masks.
Both the St. Lucie and Indian River school boards will be discussing their masking situations at meetings Tuesday.
