MIAMI (WSVN) - Although Miami-Dade County Public Schools have not yet reached a decision about their mask-wearing policy in the upcoming school year, officials said they will follow the science.
City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said, “Ninety percent, approximately, of the people who are being hospitalized right now in our hospital system are not vaccinated, so when you compare these two statistics, it’s very hard to argue that people shouldn’t be vaccinated.”
M-DCPS Superintendent Alberto Carvalho addressed the topic during an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation, Sunday morning.
“We’ll continue to be a district that’s oriented by the expert advice of professionals,” he said.
Carvalho also weighed in on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban against mask mandates in Florida schools and his threat to defund districts that go against his orders.
“It is sad that currently in America, we see this rhetorical narrative that’s deeply influenced by politics rather than medicine,” he said. “Focus our attention on students, teachers and healthy protective environments, while allowing at the same time, the mental and social-emotional protection for students.”
Miami-Dade County School Board officials are expected to reach a decision regarding mask-wearing in classrooms on Aug. 16.
However, Carvalho stressed his district will continue to follow the advice of science.
“We hope to be able to negotiate a reopening of schools with protocols that provide protection for our students with masks while simultaneously avoiding financial consequences,” he said.
Carvalho’s interview takes place as COVID’s delta variant continues to wreak havoc across South Florida.
Statewide, hospitalizations on Sunday inched toward the 14,000 mark.
On Friday, the Florida Department of Education approved a measure that will give parents who don’t agree with masks mandate the option to remove their child from that district. Those parents will be given a school voucher that will allow them to send their child to a private school that is not enforcing mask mandates.
“If a parent wants their child to wear a mask at school they should have that right. If a parent doesn’t want their child to wear a mask, it’s cool, they should have that right,” said Ben Gibson, vice-chair of the Florida State Board of Education.
Meanwhile, Broward County Public Schools officials said they are continuing their mask mandate for the time being.
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