Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, New Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, Block Schools From Keeping Exposed Kids Home.
Now 5,577 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Palm Beach County School District.
Local School Official: “The Anti-Maskers, Anti-Vaxxers Are Nut Jobs” As Most Kids Wear Masks To Keep Friends Safe. “DeSantis Fueling Fire.”
BY: STAFF REPORT | BocaNewsNow.com
UPDATE: PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY JUST ANNOUNCED AT 5:30 PM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2021. SEE BELOW:
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The official language is now published which prohibits Florida school districts from ordering children exposed to COVID-19 to stay home.
The announcement was first made on Wednesday by Florida’s new Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo. Ladapo was appointed just a day earlier by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and — like DeSantis — doesn’t believe in vaccine or mask mandates.
School Districts statewide, including the Palm Beach County School District, have been requiring students exposed to COVID-19 to stay home until a negative PCR test is obtained. Students fully vaccinated were largely exempt from the requirement. DeSantis and his new Surgeon General want all kids in school, even if they may have been exposed to COVID-19.
The official document follows. If it does not appear, use this link to access.
We’d like to know what you think about the new “rule.” Use the form, below, to share your thoughts with BocaNewsNow.com.
Administrators tell BocaNewsNow.com that the anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers making noise are “nut jobs” with “nothing else to do.” Multiple school officials told BocaNewsNow.com that almost all children are wearing masks, because “they want to keep their friends safe.”
”Governor DeSantis is trying to fuel a fire,” said a school district official.
–UPDATE: SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY FOLLOWS. THIS MESSAGE IS BEING SENT TO ALL PARENTS AND GUARDIANS.
Hello Parents and Legal Guardians,
While the District’s facial covering mandate remains in place, and principals are under direction to uphold Board Policy, there is a COVID-related update about which you are being notified.
The District would like to make you aware of a new Emergency Rule, signed by Florida’s Surgeon General, that changes the protocol for students who are exposed to a positive COVID-19 case, but are not displaying symptoms of the virus themselves
.
Emergency Rule 64DER21-15, Protocols for Controlling COVID-19 in School Settings, mandates that parents/guardians of healthy children identified as being exposed to COVID-19 while on District property, but not showing any symptoms of the virus, now have options regarding whether to keep the student home or continue to have their child attend school and all school activities including athletics.
The Rule defines direct contact as “cumulative exposure for at least 15 minutes, within 6 feet.”
The District and the Florida Department of Health will continue to conduct contact tracing, and will notify parents and guardians when a student has direct contact with an individual who is positive for COVID-19.
At that point the parent/guardian will have the following options:
1. Allow the student to attend school, school-sponsored activities, or be on school property, without restrictions or disparate treatment, so long as the student remains asymptomatic: or
2. Quarantine the student for a period of time not to exceed seven days from the date of last direct contact with an individual who is positive for COVID-19.
(b) If a student becomes symptomatic, following direct contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19, or tests positive for COVID-19, the procedures set forth for symptomatic or COVID-19 positive shall apply.
Those procedures include:
Students experiencing any symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or who have received a positive diagnostic test for COVID-19, shall not attend school, school-sponsored activities, or be on school property until:
(a)The student receives a negative diagnostic COVID-19 test and is asymptomatic: or
(b)Ten days have passed since the onset of symptoms or positive test result; the student has had no fever for 24 hours and the student’s other symptoms are improving: or
(c)The student receives written permission to return to school from a medical doctor licensed under chapter 458, an osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 459, or an advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 464.
Additionally, the Emergency Rule does not require that those who come in contact with a COVID-positive individual be tested for the virus themselves.
This new protocol is effective immediately.
Please contact your child’s school with any questions or concerns.
What do you think? Use this form to share your opinion of the new “rule” with BocaNewsNow.com.
