MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Archdiocese of Miami made a major announcement about their school masking rules, now requiring all students and staff members over the age of two to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status or a parental waiver.
The new policy will remain in place for three weeks, after which it will be reassessed.
The archdiocese cites a substantial increase in positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 persons in the tri-county area over the last four weeks as the reasoning behind the change.
This comes one day after school officials in Broward County voted to require all vendors and visitors to wear a mask while indoors at any district school or facility but stops short of requiring employees and students to wear one.
Recently passed state law keeps public school districts from mandating that students wear a mask.
“The governor pushed the legislature to enact a law that basically removed all our constitutional ability to oversee the safety of our students and staff,” said Broward School Board Member Patti Good.
Miami Dade’s public school officials face the same challenges. The district announced masks would only be required of adults and remain optional for students.
On Thursday, Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the legislation that bans mask mandates falls short of the advice of medical experts. The superintendent hinted at possible legal action that may challenge those laws.
“Let’s begin with the constitution of the State of Florida and let’s explore what that really means regardless of the recently adopted legislation,” Carvalho said.