BRADENTON, Fla. — The Manatee County School Board voted Friday morning to repeal its mask mandate for students, staff and visitors.
People will no longer be required to cover their faces at school district events and within district facilities.
"The impact of the policy takes effect immediately, meaning face masks are now optional across the school district," a district spokesperson said.
The 2020-2021 school year ended Thursday for students, but many teachers and other employees were still at work Friday. Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for next week for the county's six traditional high schools.
"Masks will be optional for students and attendees at each of those graduation ceremonies," a spokesperson said. "Mask will also be optional for students and employees when summer school begins in Manatee County in June."
The mask policy had been in place since the board activated in back on Aug. 11, 2020.
“It is my hope that the School Board’s decision today is an important milestone in our return to normalcy for our students and employees,” Superintendent Cynthia Saunders wrote in a statement. “When the mask mandate was initiated in August, I firmly believe it was the right thing to do and I think the mandate helped us complete this school year without missing a single day of school. To me, the decision today represents the closing of one chapter, and the beginning of a new one.”
What other people are reading right now:
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter
