By Bryan Boggiano
Students across Broward County will be wearing masks on their first day of school, and that may include those attending Coral Springs Charter School.
The Coral Springs Charter School Board of Directors meets Wednesday to discuss mask requirements for the upcoming school year. The board has been following the school board’s directions on masks, and the vote is to continue following in their footsteps.
The school is currently broadcasting, “face coverings are required for students, visitors, staff and teachers. This is subject to change according to CDC, local and state guidance,” according to the city.
In an Aug. 12 email, Principal Gary Springer wrote that masks will be required for everyone.
City staff will continue to work with Charter Schools USA to ensure that the school remains in line with the school board’s practices and messaging.
The vote comes as COVID cases spike and intensive care units fill up across Broward County and the state.
According to data from Friday, Aug. 13, over 12,000 COVID cases were reported in the previous week in Broward County, while pediatric ICU capacity is at 100 percent.
“The city manager, city attorney, and the incident command staff have spoken at length this week about the currently high COVID positivity rates and the strain this is placing on our local hospitals,” said a document from the city. “These high positivity rates will only worsen with the start of school next week.”
The city directed Charter Schools USA to require masks for students, staff, teachers, and visitors in the interim.
In response to the mask mandate that the school board adopted, Florida Secretary of Education Richard Corcoran threatened to withhold funding from noncompliant school districts.
In the city document, officials do not believe that the school will suffer financially.
The school board voted to continue the mask mandate in July as cases and hospitalizations surged. After Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order banning mask mandates, the district announced on Aug. 3 that they would comply with the governor’s order.
On Tuesday, Aug. 10, the school board voted to reinstate the mandate.
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