Photo: CBS 12
The Palm Beach County School Board is expected to vote Wednesday evening on updated COVID protocols, including giving Superintendent Michael Burke the power to issue health directives. Those would include face mask policies, like the mandate still in effect in Palm Beach schools with no parental opt-outs, which defies state law.
If the move is approved by the board, Burke would have to take into account "local health conditions and transmission risk" when making decisions.
The vote comes a day before the Florida Board of Education meets on Thursday to determine if Palm Beach County and several other school districts should face financial penalties.
Burke will have a few minutes to address the Board to defend the district's mandate. The Superintendent says the amount of funding that the county stands to lose is at least $27,000 a month and he says the district is prepared to take a financial hit.
Burke said it's not a huge amount of money considering the school district's budget is $4 billion.
Wednesday's school board meeting is open to the public at 5 p.m.