Manatee County Schools leaders hold emergency meeting

As COVID-19 cases rise in Manatee County Schools, leaders will hold an emergency meeting Monday morning to discuss the possibility of creating a mask mandate. The school district confirms that during the first two days of the new school year, more COVID-19 cases were reported than in the first week of school last year. The emergency meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Monday when leaders will consider a temporary mask mandate that would include an opt-out for students. The temporary mandate would also apply to all staff and visitors on school campuses. Most of the cases seen have been staff members, according to the district. During another emergency meeting just before the school year began, school leaders said the district would not make masks mandatory. During the first week of the 2021-2022 school year, Manatee County Schools leaders re-implemented last year's COVID protocols.