Indian River County School superintendent explains reasoning for new mask mandate

The Palm Beach County School Board voted Wednesday night to explore legal action against a highly controversial executive order from Florida Gov.

Ron DeSantis regarding facial coverings in school.

SUPERINTENDENT IS SPEAKINGABOUT THE*NEEDOR FMANDATE..

AND JUST WHATTEACHERS AND STUDENTS AREFACING RIGHT NOW.

W-P-T-V'SDEREK LOWE WITH INSIGHT ON THEMANDATE..

JUST DAYS BEFORE ITTAKES EFFECT IN INDIAN RIVERCOUNTY SCHOOLS.PKG: IT'S A MOVE INDIAN RIVERCOUNTY SCHL OODISTRICTSUPERINTENDENT DR DAVID MOORESAYS MAY SAVE SCHOOLS FROMHAVING TO SHUT DOWN... 4524DR. DAVID MOORE,SUPERINTENDENT.

WHAT WE'VEEXPERIENCED IN THE FIRSTWO TAND A HALF WEEKS OF SCHOOLABSOLUTELY IS A NEWENVIRONMENT.

THIS IS00 1TIMES WORSE THAN AT ANY POINTIT WAS LAST YEAR.

ON TUESDAY -SCHOOL BOARD MEMRSBE PASSED ATWO WEEK MASK MANDATE FORSTUDENTS IN PRE-K THROUGH 8THGRADE - WHERE MOST STUDENTSAND STAFF HAVE TESTED POSIVETIFOR COVID.

3452 DR. MOORE OURJOB IS TO PROVIDE A FREE ANDAPPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCAONTIFOR ALL STUDENTS AND WHEN YOUDON'T HAVE TEACHERS, YOU DON'THAVE SUPPORTTA SFF, YOU CAN'TDO THAT.

LESS THAN 3 WEEKSINTO THE SCHOOL YEAR 98 STFAFMEMBERS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE.60 OF THEM WORK IN GRADES PREKTHROUGH 8TH GRADE.

DR. MOORE3739 OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARELARGER SCHOOLS.

THREIMITIGATION STRATEGIES AREWORKING AT A BETTER PACE.

DR.MOORE SAYS TO HELP FILL ETHGAP - 10 DISTRICT SUPPORTSTAFF MEMBERS ARE HAVING TOFILL IN FOR SICKND AQUARANTINED TEACHERS AND THATRESOURCES TO KEEP SCHOOLS ENOPARE RUNNING THIN.

4723 CODYHOLCOMB, PARENT I THINKINSTEAD OF FIGHTING GOVERNORRON DESANT, ISMAYBE SOMEISSUES COULD HAVE BEENRESOLVED BY REACHINGUT OO TTHE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ANDSAYING, 'GUYS, WE'RE UP TO XAMOU OF NTSTAFF AND STUDENTSWHO ARE NOW OUT DUE TO THISVIRUS.

WE NEED EXTRA HELFRP OMYOU GUYS.'

SOME PARENTS -FRUSTRATED WITH THE DECISION.TEACHERS SAY THE DISTRICTDIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE.

108JENNIFER FREELAND, PRESIDENT,INDIAN RIVER COUY NTEDUCATIONASSOATCIION I DO SYMPATHIZEWITH PARENTS WHO FEEL THATWE'RE SOMEHOW WE'REENCROACHING BUT WE HAVE TOKEEP SCHOOLS OPEN.

IF WE'REGOING TO KEEP THEM OPEN,THERE'S NO WAY TO DO ITWITHOUT PROTECTING PEOPLE.

THESUPERINTENDENT SAYS THE BOARDWILL MONITOR CASES OVER THENEXT WEEKS AND REVISIT THEMANDATE AT ITS NEXT BODARMEETING.

IN VERO BEACH, I'MDEREK LOWE.

WPTV NC 5.TONIGHT - INDIAN RIVER ANDPALM BEACH COUNTIES ARE NOTALONE IN ITS DEFIANCE OF THEGOVERNOR'S ORDERS.

IN ALL 10DISTRICTS IN OUR STATERE ACONSIDERED OUT OF COMPLIANCE.THOSE COUNTY DISTRICT'S SEENHERE ARE PALM BEACH, INDIANRIVER, BROWARD, MIAMI-DADE,HILLBOROUGH AND ALACHUA,DUVA LL,EON, SARASOTA, ORANGECOUNTIES.

COLLECTIVELY THEYMAKE UP 52 PERCENT OFFLORIDA'S PUBLIC SCHLOOSTUDEN