BRADENTON, FLA.- — The School Board of Manatee County discussed COVID-19 protocols at Tuesday night's meeting.
The district said it will continue to monitor the guidance of local, state, and federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Department of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Current protocols in schools include: allowing families to make their own informed choices regarding the use of face masks/coverings and vaccines, continue cleaning and disinfecting of all schools, continue water bottle filler retrofits, and continue to update the school air filtration system.
The district said parents will be notified of positive cases in their child's school so they can make an informed decision about their child's attendance. All students and employees who test positive for COVID or are symptomatic with flu-like symptoms cannot attend their school or report to their job site.
The school district made a survey available to parents. The survey asked, "If your child is 11 years old or younger, do you plan to send your child to school wearing a mask?"
According to survey results, 2,087 people answered "Yes" while 2,216 people answered "No."
The survey also asked, "If yes, would you prefer they be in a classroom setting with other children wearing a face mask/covering if available?"
The district said if the mask policy changed, the public would be notified. The school board would also hold a public hearing.
