Duval school board adopts new policy for future pandemics, epidemics

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The Duval County Public Schools committee meets connected October 19, 2021.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The committee of Duval County Public Schools voted 5-2 connected Tuesday to o.k. a caller argumentation for however the territory volition tackle communicable diseases during an epidemic oregon pandemic.

The determination to refurbish the district’s erstwhile policy, which chiefly focused connected students with HIV/AIDS, came aft the committee was forced to employment respective exigency actions successful effect to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is the extremity of this School Board to question to provide, successful the slightest restrictive environment, for the acquisition needs of each pupil to the maximum grade accordant with the needs of different students and the health, information and payment of all,” the argumentation states.

The argumentation gives the superintendent administrative powerfulness to power the dispersed of disease, erstwhile it is deemed to beryllium an epidemic oregon pandemic, and requires that the attack taken indispensable person a data-driven framework. In different words, the mitigation measures would person to beryllium based connected the levels of transmission successful the community.

According to the policy, arsenic they formulate the procedures, the superintendent indispensable consult with an advisory squad that includes nationalist wellness experts, aesculapian professionals, representatives of the District Advisory Council and/or the Duval County Council of Parent Teachers Associations and, if warranted, the chief/CEO of a section hospital.

The program developed by the superintendent volition person to outline the policies for mitigation including erstwhile idiosyncratic should beryllium considered exposed erstwhile they should quarantine, erstwhile they’re allowed to instrumentality to campus, and a method to pass each the accusation to the public.

The superintendent volition besides beryllium required to bring immoderate policies earlier the schoolhouse committee for approval.

Board chairwoman Elizabeth Andersen said it was important for the territory to follow specified a policy, thing that galore different schoolhouse districts successful Florida already had successful spot earlier the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I deliberation the committee is excited to person thing much imperishable successful spot that specifically addresses epidemics and pandemics should that ever travel up successful the future, but besides to assistance america navigate done the COVID 19 pandemic that we presently face,” Andersen said.

The afloat committee argumentation tin beryllium recovered connected the DCPS district’s website.