School mask mandate discussion reaches Pinellas County ahead of Tuesday meeting

LARGO, Fla. - Some parents in Pinellas County are demanding the school district require masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for the next 60 days. 

A group met Monday morning outside the school board headquarters to make their message clear but they were met with opposing voices in what may be a preview of Tuesday’s school board meeting.

The protesters said they want the Pinellas County School Board to follow the lead of other districts, like Hillsborough County, going against the governor and requiring masks. 

During Monday’s press conference, a heckler with a bull horn showed up to try and drown out the pro-mask message being delivered by a group of parents, teachers, and doctors, who say they want timely and transparent notifications about positive cases in classrooms.

The latest data provided by the district shows 861 children have contracted the virus. The district says as of Thursday they quarantined 2,757 students. 

These parents who want a mask mandate said the district is behind on contact tracing by about 4-5 days, and that the surgical quarantine isn’t effective.   

"I am more likely to get a notice about lice than I am about COVID exposure in my elementary school student’s classroom. That’s outrageous," parent Chrissy Krampert said.

The chief of the Infectious Disease Division of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Dr. Allison Messina, says a mask mandate makes common sense for several reasons: students under 12 can’t get vaccinated, the delta variant is much more contagious than the original, and this time, more kids are getting seriously ill. 

"We are really reaching out to parents in the communities and letting them know putting on a mask will protect you," Dr. Messina said. 

The Pinellas County School Board is set to meet Tuesday, August 24 at 10 a.m.