FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Schoolchildren rode buses and some were accompanied by their parents to campuses across Broward County as the district welcomed back students for the first day of class.
Children in Broward County returned to school early Wednesday morning. This school year will be the third year that has been touched by the COVID-19 pandemic, and everyone in attendance wore a mask for the first day.
“We missed our friends, and we missed our routine that we had going on,” student Roya Rostamian said. “We missed our teachers and learning in person.”
Students poured into Croissant Park Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale and Cypress Bay High School in Weston. Most said they were thrilled to be back and were fine with the mask mandate.
“We’re just ready to be back to some sort of routine,” student Summer Kauffman said.
“I’m not really excited. I miss home,” a student said. “I don’t like masks, so yeah.”
Catholic schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties also welcomed back students on Wednesday with a mask mandate.
“The pandemic is still with us, and it is serious,” Archdiocese of Miami Superintendent Jim Rigg said.
The mask mandate goes against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new executive order, which forbids school districts from not giving parents the option on whether or not their children wear face coverings.
“At the end of the day, you have local officials who do not believe they need to follow the law,” DeSantis said.
Florida could withhold funds or remove school board members because they did not follow the governor’s order. State officials said they are still looking into it.
Broward County Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Vickie Cartwright said the district stands by their decision.
“We believe that we are in compliance, so once we’re fined, whatever it’s going to be, we’re going to go ahead and respond accordingly,” she said.
Meanwhile, school buses have returned to the road, classrooms are filled with smiling faces, even if they are covered.
“We’re so excited to have all of our students and staff back on campus and welcoming them home today,” a school official said.
Cartwright said apart from two incidences where people did not want to wear their masks in the classroom, the first day of class went smoothly.
“Broward County Public Schools students are back where they belong — in class and on campus,” BCPS Board Chair Dr. Rosalind Osgood said. “Broward County Public School students, you rock!”
The Broward School Board promised to revisit the mask mandate and check out COVID case numbers every few weeks.
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