Parents of students at Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston, Florida, have been given the option to keep their children at home due to confirmed cases of measles, as directed by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.
Broward Superintendent Dr. Peter Licata announced that Thursday is the deadline for parents to decide whether their vaccinated or unvaccinated children will stay home for the next 21 days and engage in online continuing education with individualized assignments, emphasizing that it will not be a virtual experience.
According to the superintendent, there are 6 confirmed cases of measles at the school, with a total of 33 unvaccinated students. Board member Torey Alston acknowledged the challenge of ensuring all students receive adequate education while also assuring parents of the school’s cleanliness.
Manatee Bay Elementary reported 200 student absences on Tuesday and 174 on Wednesday. Superintendent Licata visited the campus earlier in the week to address concerns and reassure staff, students, and parents about the outbreak.
While the school is not authorized to prevent children from attending, the state can declare a state of emergency for the school and restrict unvaccinated students from attending. However, no such emergency order has been issued by the Florida Department of Health at this time.
As district officials await further directives, they continue to focus on cleaning and sanitizing the school, with no indication of broader county-wide issues at present.
