SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County school officials said Saturday they will implement a face-covering/mask requirement for all students unless parents choose to opt-out.

Superintendent Serita Beamon announced the measure in a letter to families and school staff. It is a similar guideline to what was announced Friday by Orange County Schools.

Parents can opt out by sending a written note with their student (who must be under 18 years old) on the first day of school such as “I am opting out of the facial covering/mask requirement for (student’s name)” with the parent’s signature.

The student may give the note to the teacher.

The procedure will be effective for 30 days, beginning Tuesday, Aug. 10, Beamon's letter said.

The system will continue to collaborate with local health department and experts to review the procedure before the 30 days have expired.

The district’s website has details and frequently asked questions about the face covering requirement.

No change in Osceola County

In Osceola County, there is still no change, leaving masks optional for students there.

Osceola County parent Kimberly Johnson has three children. On Saturday at a back-to-school supply event in Kissimmee, as a safety measure, her kids were wearing masks, and they will be masked up in the classroom.

Johnson believes that should be the case for everyone.

On Saturday, the Osceola County Florida Department of Health had a tent set up encouraging people to mask up. It was also educating those who are eligible to get the vaccine to try to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Health, political issues over students wearing masks

The changes have drawn the ire of some parents who do not want their children masked for protection while getting praise from others who have been calling on schools to follow CDC recommendations.

The delta variant can make people, including children, much sicker, according to doctors and with CDC data showing it now makes up 93% of all new cases of coronavirus. Health leaders say masks are needed, especially in schools.

“We can’t vaccinate kids under 12 right now. Hand washing we can do. Social distancing — it’s going to be hard on a school bus or in a crowded classroom, and that leaves us with masking. My fear is taking off a mask in a pandemic is like taking a step off a ledge — you only go one way,” said Dr. Kenneth Alexander, division chief of the Infectious Diseases Department of Pediatrics at Nemours Children’s Hospital.

Because Gov. Ron DeSantis recently issued an executive order preventing school districts from having the local authority to mandate masks for everyone in schools, there will be an option in Seminole County for parents to opt-out of the mask requirement.