A Marion County School Board member pleaded with his fellow board members to reconsider the optional mask mandate they approved earlier this summer.
Eric Cummings, who represents District 3, made the comments during the Tuesday, August 10 meeting of the Marion County School Board.
Cummings cited recent figures from the Florida Department of Health that show the positivity rate in Marion County is the highest it has ever been.
“I want to strongly, with extra emphasis, encourage our staff, our parents, our students to please wear your masks, please stay safe, please do whatever you need to do in regards to what your doctors or medical personnel are telling you to do to stay safe,” said Cummings during the meeting.
Cummings was adamant that the board revisit the decision to make masks optional.
“We made that decision using the information that we had at that time…I think as a board, we have an obligation and a duty to adjust when we need to make adjustments and be flexible,” said Cummings, suggesting numbers were going in a “different direction” earlier this summer.
Cummings said that health and social welfare should “not be politicized” and that the increase in the positivity rate suggests things have gotten “progressively worse.”
“I know that there are some people out there that will say that the virus is a hoax. It’s not a hoax. Some would even say if kids get it, they will be alright,” said Cummings.
“Some people say it’s just a few kids that have gotten sick in high school or even died from this virus. But what if it was your child, your grandchild, your niece, your nephew? Why are we gambling with the health and welfare of our children,” said Cummings.
“Why would you want to see any kid, any child sick and suffering with illness? Whether it’s an allergy, whether it’s a cold, whether it’s the chicken pox or COVID-19, I personally don’t want to see any kids sick,” said Cummings, citing his personal experience at the bedside of a sick child in the hospital.
Cummings said it “only takes one kid to pass away” in the district before “everybody is going to run around like chickens with their heads cut off, scrambling, trying to make a difference.”
“I think we have to be very responsible with this situation. I don’t believe in rolling the dice. I don’t play the lottery. I don’t gamble. I definitely don’t want to gamble with kids’ lives, and kids’ health,” said Cummings.
“Why are we waiting to make a decision, a temporary decision, not asking for anything permanent, but temporarily? At least do something to keep our people safe, and keep these kids safe,” said Cummings.
Currently, only the Pfizer vaccine can be administered to anyone over the age of 12. That vaccine requires two doses.