Superintendent of Palm Beach County schools, Mike Burke, stated at a meeting on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, that students can opt-out of wearing masks starting on Monday, November 15, 2021. Due to a state ruling, that has since been fast-tracked to November 8.

As you all know, Covid-19 is a deadly disease that has been affecting the world for almost 2 years now. A number of workplaces, schools, gyms, and restaurants were closed down for months at a time because of the virus. 

Schools, in particular, were significantly struggling. Students in Palm Beach County had to spend the beginning of their school year last year at home, doing school online. After a period of time, it was finally decided that students have the option to go back to in-person school or stay virtual at home. 

However, if students were to go to school, they would have no option but to wear masks, which wasn’t negotiable. 

Prior to Mike Burke becoming superintendent, Dr. Donald Fennoy, (former superintendent) decided that masks were optional when going into the 2021-22 school year. This mandate sent some parents into a frenzy stating that masks should be required, not optional. The optional mask opportunity was quickly put to an end after Covid-19 cases gradually rose.

Now that the school year is a quarter in, the new superintendent finally decided that students should have the option of whether they want to wear masks or not. 

Students that wrote a note to the school stating that they didn’t want to wear a mask before now have the opportunity to not wear one soon. Students who decide that they no longer want to wear a mask on a school campus must have their parents write a note to the school stating that in order for them to not wear one.