STUART, Fla. — The Martin County School District is preparing to host an emergency meeting next week over masks being required in schools.
Dozens of parents made their voices heard Tuesday, calling for the policy to end at the school board's workshop.
"This is a sick, sick board," said one parent. "This board is sick and wrong."
Inside the meeting, parent after parent made public comment.
Outside the meeting, parents protested with signs along Ocean Boulevard.
"Oxygen is mandatory for the brain," said resident Medora Reading.
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"Masks are proven ineffective for the purpose claimed by your mandate and are potentially harmful," said parent Regan Chatel.
The board made no promises about the future of masks but agreed to take up the issue next week in an emergency meeting.
"The positive cases that we've had listed from year to date from the beginning of the school year is 406, which puts us at a less than 2% rate," said School Board Member Christia Li Roberts.
A petition calling for face coverings to be optional now has more than 500 signatures.
Some parents said until the mandate is repealed, they'll continue to protest.
"We will be here at every school board meeting until you stop the unhealthy masking of these vulnerable children," said Shannon Aprile.