My first day back to school/work in the Florida Keys.

[tavernier]

Monroe County announced yesterday that they are joining the masks required for public schools rebellion. Thank God for creating a few people with brains and courage and heart in our state… I’m feeling very relieved! DeSatan will not like this. He is already angry with the Keys for closing the roads early on in the pandemic. Perhaps we should expect flying monkeys very soon.

[SoCalDavidS]

1. Are They Allowing The Opt Out?

I heard that although several of the counties are requiring masks, they're also allowing parents to opt out for any reason whatsoever.

[tavernier]

2. Yes, parents can opt out with a note

if they feel there is a medical reason. I don’t know how hard they will enforce the medical reason excuse, but all the kids I've seen are wearing masks.

[Towlie]

7. Good, as long as "Opting out" means opting out of going to school.

 
←

It's nonsensical to claim your child has a medical excuse to be allowed to infect other children.

[Deuxcents]

3. Which makes no sense

Kinda defeats the purpose but they want to see the kids smiling.

[tavernier]

4. ?

Makes perfect sense. Already there are cases of sick kids in the county. Hopefully a mask requirement will stop some of the spread.

[Deuxcents]

6. My comment was about opting out

I do agree that wearing masks will stop some of the spread. Be safe out there

[Skittles]

23. it has absolutely nothing to do with "kids smiling"

DeathSantis is using the lives of children to try to score cheap political points with Trump humpers.

[stillcool]

5. good luck to you...

and your kids! Such scary times, nice to see some parts of the state opting for safety.

[mcar]

8. SO teaches here in Citrus County

last year, kids wore masks every day. No problems at all. This year, no mandate, no masks. He is one of only a few teachers and students wearing masks.

Given that FL DOH isn't reporting, I wonder how we'll find out about virus outbreaks in the schools?

[Hortensis]

15. Stephanie Ruehl Was discussing health data reporting apps

with the CEO of one of them, Kinsa. Apparently people reporting their symptoms directly to these Data collection apps is outstripping older methods of data collection to be able to put together pictures faster. Perhaps one of those apps is more used by people like you in your area than others. Also, apps like Kinze also can work off smart thermometers where schools are using them to collect data.

[CentralMass]

9. Stay safe tavernier.

[MLAA]

10. Sending you best wishes for your and your students' safety.

I had to make an emergency trip from AZ to North Florida 1.5 weeks ago to care for dad at Mayo and then rehab. Hoping to get him stabilized in a better rehab today and then need to stay long enough to make sure he is in good shape. Less than 10percent are wearing masks. And at least a third of them have them under their noses or chins.

[flying_wahini]

19. I would secretly take pictures of all staff with No/half mast masks.

Send it with a letter to the Florida State board of Nursing, the Local health dept.

Maybe the local watchdog news reporters.

[MLAA]

21. Sorry I wasn't more clear

The hospital (Mayo), the not very good rehab in Jax Beach and the new rehab in Dad’s home town we transferred to today all wore masks appropriately. It was the hotel I stayed in, the drugstore I visited twice and the grocery store where very few customers wore masks and the staf wore masks but many not correctly.

I’m just so relieved I finally got my dad transferred from a rehab that was a 1 on a scale of 10 to one that is a 9.5 and may well be a 10 as time goes on. Such a relief. I bought a lot of groceries at Whole Foods so that I can stay at rehab with dad or in my hotel room and not mix in with the covidiots.

[Hortensis]

11. Good! I'm glad for you and the schools, Tavernier.

I'd forgotten closing public roads into the Keys to everyone who doesn't live there. Not in ANY way to agree with DeSantis because I don't. But I didn't see how that would be different from residents of the rest of Florida closing that off to everyone who lives in the Keys. Gotta get to work? Visit Mom? Just wanted to travel public roads? Too bad.

It reminds me of the attitude of that community across the water from New Orleans, Gretna, where armed cops blocked the bridge so desperate refugees couldn't get out of flooded NO to food, water, medical care. Extremely different situations of course, Greta blocked entry of people in great need, but disturbingly similar in the appalling willingness of locals to violate the rights of others. Not exactly our finest, and we'd see a lot more of this during protracted widespread emergency with government broken down or in the wrong hands..

[SheilaAnn]

12. One of my neighbors here in Palm Beach County works for the school and she said all, every student

wore a mask. She was thrilled.

[Ford_Prefect]

13. Watch out for those Flying Monkeys T. They will be leading the black helicopters...

Good to know your local admin is not taking this lying down.

[Harker]

14. It's sickening that children have become objects of a tug-of-war when we should all be pulling

in the same direction... for their safety and that of teachers and staff.

[bahboo]

17. yay Keys....glad to hear it....

we were planning on living in Key West by now, but Covid interfered. Then watching the DeSantis shitshow, we feel like we might have dodged a bullet. We feel safe here in SoCal, but still long for the Keys. Might be planning a trip down late next spring for the final trial run before moving, we'll see.

[NoMoreRepugs]

18. If the RePutinicans don't give a shit about protecting

schoolchildren from automatic weapons why would anyone think they would care about masks to protect against an invisible virus??

FreeDUMB “trumps” logic and reason with these Deplorable morons.

[Warpy]

20. I'm sorry your governor is a grandstanding piece of shit

and I sincerely hope enough people have noticed to humiliate him in 2022.

Until then, all we can do is wish you good luck fighting the foolishness.

[ProfessorGAC]

22. Cool, Tav!

I had a sub meeting today. Masks mandatory except for legitimate mental health/anxiety issues. No physical medical reasons accepted. Unmasked kids must wear face shield (I know, useless) and maintain 6', not 3' distance.
Teachers can't telework. If they need time off, it's time off. (Being a sub with the teacher online is frustrating, except in one case.)
I did hear though, unconfirmed, that 100% of teachers & admin are vaxxed in that district.
Now, this is 6 of the 14 districts in which I sub that I know for sure are taking a hard line.
Big difference though is that our governor mandated masks in schools as opposed to threatening districts that call for it.