FL Education Commissioner asks schools to let families decide whether kids should wear masks

Jacksonville, FL. — A Florida Education Commissioner is asking superintendents to make masks voluntary instead of mandatory.

In a letter, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran is asking school superintendents to let families decide if kids wear masks at school.

Duval County Public Schools says it’s still going to require students to wear face coverings on buses, in common areas, and in classrooms - with few exceptions.

Ashley Kean told Action News Jax she is homeschooling her kids, but agrees there shouldn’t be a mask requirement.

“If they had been in public school, they would now be out,” Kean said. “Whenever you apply a blanket mandate, you don’t take other health issues into account.” She added that she’s not concerned over her kids getting sick from COVID. “They don’t get this, and there’s very, very few children who do get it get over it so rapidly it’s not even – stop messing with the kids!” Kean says she’s given this a lot of thought. “Anything that I do with my children involves hours of research, multiple, multiple hours of research,” she explained. “And taking with experts and people whom I value.”

We asked our medical expert dr. Michelle Aquino to weigh in, too.“[The voluntary mask recommendation] is coming from non-scientific people,” Aquino said. “This is an opinion from someone who has no scientific background to make this decision yet. If you look at the CDC guidelines, guidelines are still wearing masks for everyone in the school, the adult and the children in the school.”

But Kean says she still wants the final say in her kids’ lives. “I am their parent and you are not,” she pointed out. “So, I know what’s best for my child and I know what’s best for them and if I give up that responsibility, shame on me.”

Duval County Public Schools says it will review its mask-wearing policy again this summer to make sure it is up-to-date on CDC guidelines.

You can read more about Duval County Public Schools’ COVID safety protocols on their website.

Clay County School District also told Action News Jax that face coverings are required for students in grades 3-12 and staff at all campuses, district offices, and transportation when social distancing is not possible.

Face coverings are strongly recommended for students in Pre-K through 2.

The school board’s mandated facecovering policy information can be found on the district website at www.oneclay.net/smartrestart.

Action News Jax also reached out Nassau County Public Schools and the St. Johns County School District to find out their thoughts on this recommendation, but we have not heard back.

Cox Media Group