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Pinellas County School Board takes first step in extending face mask mandate in schools

All nine parents who spoke at the meeting oppose the mask mandate in schools and asked the board to let the emergency order expire on Nov. 9.

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — On Tuesday, the Pinellas County School Board took the first step in extending its face mask mandate for all students and staff on campus, which is set to expire on Nov. 9.

On Aug. 11, the board adopted an emergency rule requiring face coverings in schools. Per Florida statute, an emergency policy is only good for 90 days, giving the order an expiration date of Nov. 9.

According to the school district's attorney, David Koperski, the 90-day period allows time for the school board to enact a more permanent policy using the traditional rule-making process requiring two readings at a board meeting separated by 28 days.

The first reading Tuesday morning resulted in a unanimous vote to continue the discussion at a workshop and vote on extending the face mask policy at the school board meeting on Nov. 10, one day after the emergency order expires.

Koperski and Superintendent Michael Grego pointed out that if the board passes a face covering policy on Nov. 10, they can rescind it at any point.

Prior to the vote, nine parents addressed the board asking them to do away with the face mask mandate and allow students to choose if they want to wear a face covering.

Some board members raised concerns about changing guidelines from the CDC, proper exemptions for some students and whether the board should review the policy on a regular basis.

Grego recommended the board pass the motion Tuesday as a "safety net" so they can make a decision one way or another on Nov. 10.

Grego brought up recent comments from the district's medical advisory board consisting of doctors who said the reason the district has low COVID-19 case numbers is because of mask-wearing and other mitigation efforts.

RELATED: Pinellas schools will welcome back nearly 13,000 students to in-person learning

On Monday, the doctors reiterated the importance of social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks as the district prepared to welcome back an additional 13,000 students to campus at the start of the second quarter.

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