What states have lifted the mask mandate

Spencer Roach sent a letter to Savage on Sept. The mandated mask policy, sans opt-out, had generated controversy among parents and officials up through the state level alike. I will never underestimate our communityвЂ™s ability to show love and compassion for each other.вЂќ вЂњI implore you to prove your commitment to each other by getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, and following other safety protocols to help us get through this surge together. The vast majority of parents and staff want the same. вЂњThey just want to go to school, engage with their classmates and have some semblance of normalcy restored as soon as this tragic experience subsides. вЂњOur students have demonstrated great resilience during this entire pandemic,вЂќ he wrote.

I choose to believe that the vast majority of our community are reasonable, caring people who want this surge to end as quickly as possible and would willingly volunteer to wear masks as an additional measure to protect each other from harm.вЂќ These are your neighbors, your family, your friends, your co-workers. With approximately 500 COVID-19 patients isolated within our local hospital system, and a 101% staffed bed capacity over the weekend, remember that these arenвЂ™t just numbers. вЂњGiven the legal landscape, I am appealing to your humanity and sense of community. I also canвЂ™t help but think of the rights of parents whose children lay isolated in the ICU at Golisano ChildrenвЂ™s Hospital whose only desire is for their child to be able to survive this terrible ordeal. вЂњI am especially considerate of those parents who want the right to send their child to school and not have to choose between the safety of their household and their child receiving an in-person, quality public education. вЂњI will always be an advocate for parentsвЂ™ rights,вЂќ he wrote. It is his hope, however, that most will opt for masks for the protection of their children and others. Savage said that he, and the district do understand that parents have the right to make decisions for their children. School boards which have issued mask mandates without parental opt-outs have faced threats from the state Department of Education commissionerвЂ™s office of losing funding for their school board members, including Lee County Schools. Ron DeSantis didnвЂ™t have the power to restrict school boards from issuing mask mandates. The school board voted earlier this month to require masks be worn without opt-outs for parents after a judge ruled Gov. вЂњAs the stay only applies to students, District employees will still be required to wear masks and follow the medical exemption process as set forth through Human Resources,вЂќ the letter states. The requirement still will apply to district staff.

This applies while being indoors on school campuses, indoors at school sponsored activities, and on school busses,вЂќ the letter states. вЂњTherefore, starting on Tuesday, September 14, The School District of Lee County will require face coverings, while allowing parents to opt-out without a medical exemption. Ken Savage, sent a letter to all parents Monday, readdressing the issue and reinstating the ability of parents to opt their child or children out of the districtвЂ™s requirement that masks be worn. Citing a 1st District Court of Appeal stay issued Friday, вЂњwhich means the Florida Department of Education can continue to enforce its interpretation of the parental opt out until this matter is ultimately resolved,вЂќ Superintendent Dr.

What states have lifted the mask mandate