Mask rules for students have changed again. What you should know at South Florida schools
The mask rules are changing again at schools in South Florida.
The public school districts of Miami-Dade and Broward have announced plans to make masks optional for all students, with the Archdiocese of Miami also planning to loosen its mask mandate in coming days.
School officials said the changes are due to the decrease of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in South Florida and the availability of a vaccine for kids as young as 5.
However, there are differences on when the policies will go into effect and what parents need to do if they don’t want their child to wear a mask.
Here’s what to know:
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Masks were already optional for students in high school and some middle schools.
Now, with the new policy, all children who attend a public school in Miami-Dade — elementary, middle and senior high — can be maskless if their parents sign an opt-out form, regardless of their vaccination status.
Parents can get the form online at backtoschool.dadeschools.net/ or at their child’s school. The form is available in English, Spanish and Creole.
The new policy goes into effect Friday, Nov. 12.
Broward County Public Schools
Masks were already optional for students in high school and technical colleges.
Now, with the new policy, all children who attend a public school in Broward County — elementary, middle and senior high — can go to school without a mask, regardless of their vaccination status, starting Monday, Nov. 21.
Unlike in Miami-Dade, no opt-out form will be required. However, the school district is strongly encouraging masks to be worn.
What about charter schools?
The mask policy of each charter school is set by its governing board. And most of the major public charter schools in South Florida, such as Academica, have policies strongly recommending masks for students, but are letting parents decide if their child should wear a mask or not, as the Miami Herald has previously reported.
The most up-to-date policy can usually be found on the website of your child’s school.
Archdiocese of Miami
Masks were already optional for fully vaccinated students in grades 7-12 at Archdiocese schools in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.
Now, with the new policy, which goes into effect Nov. 15, any student — elementary, middle and senior high — can go to school without a mask if they are fully vaccinated.
Students who are not fully vaccinated can go to school without a mask if they’ve already had COVID within the last six months and are no longer ill.
The Archdiocese of Miami says students who want to go maskless will be required to show proof of vaccination, such as their CDC vaccination card, or proof that they had COVID within the last six months. To show that they’ve had COVID in the past six months, the student will need to show the positive PCR test result from when they were sick.
It’s worth noting that people who previously tested positive for COVID-19 can get sick again. Research has shown that infected people do get some natural immunity, which can reduce their chances of falling ill again, but its still unclear how long it lasts.
Masks are not required for children under 2. Masks are also optional for all students outside, regardless of vaccination status.
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 11:54 AM.
