Orange County Public Schools to weigh making masks optional in the fall

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Central Florida’s largest school district is almost ready to discuss making masks optional in the fall.

The Orange County School Board is scheduled to talk Tuesday about whether it’s time to make that change.

The goal is to make a decision by July, ahead of the deadline for Orange County virtual school.

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The change would only go into effect in the fall, not the summer.

Orange County Public Schools can’t make masks optional immediately because it signed an agreement with the teachers union.

Union President Wendy Doromal said she is OK with optional face coverings in the fall.

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“As long as the CDC and the science and the medical experts support that, we don’t have a problem with it,” she said.

The proposal states the “School Board will allow the Superintendent to implement more restrictive face covering requirements if the CDC or other government entities issues such guidance.”

The board may approve the policy change at its July 13 meeting.

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If board members want more time to discuss the proposal, they can hold off on approving changes until July 20.

That would still give parents time to enroll their child in Orange County virtual school if they don’t like the board’s decision.

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