JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene presented the district's monthly COVID-19 report at the school board meeting Tuesday. The board also updated its current mask policy, which requires all students to wear masks unless they have a medical opt-out form signed by a doctor.
While the mask mandate is supposed to last for 90 days, the Duval County School Board unanimously approved an immediate suspension criteria for the policy. The mandate may also end if the county hits a "moderate level" before the 90-day period.
According to the report, Duval County is currently at a high level. To achieve a moderate level, there will have to be 10-50 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in seven days or a 5 to 8% positivity rate during a seven-day period.
While the county is still at a high level, cases have been steadily dropping with both metrics approaching the substantial level.
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The report also compares case numbers between the current school year and the last school year.
By this time in the Fall 2020 period, there were under 100 reported cases of COVID-19 within the district. At this time, there are 673 new reported cases of COVID-19.
During the entirety of the 2020-21 school year, the number of new positive cases reported in a week never exceeded 300, according to the report.
However, it is important to note that some children were doing virtual learning during the 2020-21 school year and were not at a brick-and-mortar school.
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The district also reported 64 positive cases among district employees so far this year, compared to just four last year.
The report also states 76 classrooms and three schools were forced to close due to COVID-19.
During Tuesday's school board meeting, several parents signed up to speak during the public comment section.
Many demanded the district remove the mask mandate.
“It cost me $125 a child to have that exemption signed. There are some pediatricians that aren’t doing it for autism. There are some pediatricians that aren’t doing it for asthma," mother Tia Bess said.
“If the state decides to withhold funding, it better come our of your paycheck ... not some other place in the budget," mother Katie McNeil said.
School board chair Elizbeth Andersen acknowledged to those at the meeting that there may be more than two sides to the issue.
“But it is our responsibility to operate, control and supervise free public schools for 115,000+ students and 13,000+ staff members in our community," Andersen explained. "Keeping our schools open for teaching and learning, being good stewards of your tax dollars and supporting our families by providing a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow is our only priority.”