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- Students at public schools in Orange County, Florida, are being urged to wear face masks.
- Though described as a "requirement," parents can opt their children out.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has prohibited schools from issuing mask mandates.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Students at public schools in Orange County, Florida, will be required to wear face coverings – unless their parent provides a note opting them out, the school district announced Friday.
In an email, Orange County Public Schools said masks would be required as of August 10 and last for 30 days, as reported by Lauren Seabrook of local ABC affiliate WFTV. The requirement affects more than 200,000 students.
The announcement acknowledged "parents who are passionate on both sides of this debate," and said those who wished to exempt their children out of the requirement could do so with a one-sentence note.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has prohibited schools from issuing true mask mandates. Earlier this week, a group of parents sued the governor to overturn his executive order, local NBC affiliate WPLG reported.
Orange County's decision comes just over a week after the mayor declared a state of emergency due to a rise in coronavirus cases and urged residents to mask up when indoors. The county is now reporting an average of 1,133 new cases a day, up 117% from two weeks ago.
"We will continue to monitor the situation with our local experts and make a determination about how to proceed before the 30 days have expired," the email said.
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