June 29, 2020

Dear Superintendent Davis and Honorable Members of the Hillsborough County School Board,

We are writing today with a policy proposal for the safe reopening of HCPS. We write as
parents, educators, and medical experts. We believe the scientific evidence is clear. Masks save
lives. We believe, as our leaders, your decision for the safe return to school should be based on
public health recommendations and those of the American Academy of Pediatricians for COVID
19 guidance for school reentry with a focus on high priority strategies to reduce COVID19. Our
policy proposal asks you to make masks required for all people inside public schools in
Hillsborough county.

We have also included an appendix with a set of frequently asked questions related to health and
student learning concerns. The answers are based on recommendations from the medical
community, public health officials, and documents from the CDC and American Association of
Pediatrics. If you have questions related to this proposal please feel free to contact us at the
email addresses listed below. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this proposal.

Sincerely,

Mary R. Anderson, PhD (mcranderson@yahoo.com)

Danielle Nanda, RN (daniellednanda@gmail.com)
Paul Nanda, MD (pnanda@fasttrackurgentcare.com)
To: Honorable Superintendent Addison Davis and Hillsborough County School Board
From: Mary R. Anderson, PhD, Danielle Nanda, RN, Paul Nanda, MD
Date: June 29, 2020
Re: A policy proposal for HCPS COVID-19 Response and Reopening

The situation
Hillsborough County is experiencing a spike in the number of positive COVID19 cases. Total
cases in the state of Florida reaching approximately 35,000 new cases in the past 7 days. Often
hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths follow. This is a disturbing trend that has public
health officials concerned and has drawn national attention. As of June 28, 2020 mandatory
masks in public and government buildings where social distancing cannot be achieved are in
order in Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, the Cities of St. Petersburg and
Tampa. Yet, there is no such mandate in place for Hillsborough County Schools when they
reopen on August 10, 2020. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends face coverings as
a high priority strategy for school reopening for grades K-12. The scientific evidence on wearing
masks is clear. Masks slow the spread of the virus.

The key aspects of the problem

There are three areas that we have identified as key aspects of the problem.
1. Safety: the number of positive COVID19 cases is fluid, Hillsborough County is
experiencing a substantial spike in cases. HCPS must work to keep students, staff,
teachers and the community safe.
2. Building a community of culture that supports mask wearing: this should be based on
applying scientific evidence, a learning standard that is part of Florida DOE Standards
from PreK-12th grade. A search on CPALMS of “apply scientific evidence” returns 615
Florida State Standards related to this topic. The School Board and Superintendent’s
Office should reinforce these standards by modeling this behavior in their decision
making.
3. Mask maintenance: Just like a new pair of eyeglasses, masks take time to get used to,
after a while the discomfort and distraction will lessen. Children may be prone to
touching a mask, but even a mask that gets touched often is still better at slowing the
spread than no mask at all.

Goals
1. Mandatory masks as part of the dress code for the 2020-21 school year.
2. Creating a positive culture of mask wearing for all students, staff, and teachers.
3. Examining building and classroom spaces to better meet CDC physical distancing
guidelines and AAP recommendations for a safe reopening.

Recommendations
• Amend the dress code for AY 2020-21 to make masks mandatory; check for masks upon
entering the school building.
• Reusable cloth masks as part of the required materials for school supply lists.
• Building and classroom redesign so that traffic in hallways and stairwells move in one
direction, classroom desks are forward facing with as much distancing as possible
 (removal of un-necessary classroom furniture to create more room), and repurposing
multiuse and outdoor space including staggered drop-off and pick-up times and in-
classroom lunch schedules to meet physical distancing guidelines.

Sources consulted:

American Academy of Pediatrics. “COVID 19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School

Re-entry.” June 25, 2020.
https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/clinical-
guidance/covid-19-planning-considerations-return-to-in-person-education-in-schools/

Chu, D., E. Akl, S. Duda, K. Solo, et al. (2020). “Physical distancing, face masks, and eye
protection to prevent person to person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID -19: a
systematic review and meta-analysis.” The Lancet, Vol 395: 10242 p. 1973-1987.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext

Florida’s COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard.

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/96dd742462124fa0b38ddedb9b25e429

MacIntyre, R. and A Chughtai. (2020). “A rapid systematic review of the efficacy of face masks
and respirators against coronaviruses and other respiratory transmissible viruses for the
community, healthcare workers, and sick patients.” International Journal of Nursing Studies.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7191274/

Rogers, Steven. “Masks, PPE, part of new ‘dress code’” ABC Channel 36 WTVQ, Kentucky.
June 24, 2020.
https://www.wtvq.com/2020/06/24/masks-ppe-part-new-schools-dress-code/

State of Florida Education Standards

https://www.cpalms.org/Public/search/Standard

Mary R. Anderson, PhD has three children in Hillsborough County Public Schools. She is a
professor of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Tampa, she serves on
the University of Tampa COVID19 Health Safety Task Force for Re-Opening.

Danielle Nanda, RN has three children, her eldest is entering Hillsborough County Public
Schools this year. She is a Registered Nurse with specialized certification in Critical Care. She
now is a community health and human rights activist and homemaker.

Paul Nanda, MD is the Chief Medical Officer of TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track and
has assisted in the management of COVID19 testing clinics in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco
Counties. He has worked as an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at The Ohio State
University and taught classes at the College of Medicine. Dr. Nanda also has a Master of
Science degree in Immunology.
Appendix
Frequently asked questions about health concerns and student learning while wearing a
mask.
1. Who will provide masks for students if they are required?
Superintendent Davis suggested in his COVID19 Reopening Plan that students will be
provided masks by the county (up to a total of 5 if a FEMA request is honored).
Additionally, masks can be added to the school items supply list.

2. What happens if my student forgets his mask?

Remembering this school supply will take time to get used to, when a student forgets,
they will be provided a disposable one up to 3 times. After three times, they will be in
violation of the dress code if they don’t have it they will be dealt with based on the
procedures already in place for dress code violations.

3. These masks will get dirty, how do we know they will be washed regularly?
We don’t, we can encourage daily mask washing, washing by hand and air drying is
simple and affordable, but even an unwashed mask is better than no mask at all.

4. The mask will be a distraction to my student, they will play with it all the time, how will
teachers be able to teach?
Yes, at first, they probably will but it will be up to everyone parents, teachers, and
administrators to be patient and help students learn that masks are important because
they save lives.

5. Masks are uncomfortable, won’t my student just want to take it off and touch it all day?
Just like a new pair of eyeglasses, the mask will be uncomfortable at first but students
will get used to them.

6. How do we get students to comply with a mandatory mask requirement?

Peer pressure works both positively and negatively, if there is a shared community
effort to wear masks, then students will wear masks. If a student refuses to comply they
will be in violation of the dress code and dealt with based on the procedures already in
place for such violations.

7. Isn’t the school board violating my students’ rights by requiring a mask?

The requirement of masks would fall under the dress code. Dress codes are lawful under
the law. Any student is free to choose virtual school if they don’t wish to adhere to the
dress code.

8. Will a mask make it harder for my student to breathe?

 No. While initially masks can be uncomfortable and can be challenging to get used to,
mask wearing for multiple hours/worn daily has not been shown to cause any medical
issues.

9. My student has asthma, she can’t wear a mask all day, will she get an exception?
No. A simple cloth mask should not negatively impact children with asthma. However,
additional educational support /accommodations may be provided to those students
and families with medical concerns regarding mask wearing.

10. What about exceptions for students with special needs, will they be required to wear a
mask?
There will need to be special considerations and mask innovations that will need to be
discussed on a case by case basis (i.e. clear masks for those that rely on visual lip
observation for communication).

11. What about when students go outside, will they be required to wear a mask?
Yes. Masks would be required during recess and outdoor group play activities where
social distancing may be more difficult to enforce.

12. There are certain subjects in school (such as music performance classes) that can’t be
completed with a mask (e.g. theatre, band, or chorus), will there be exceptions made for
these classes?
Masks will be required when physical distancing cannot be achieved as per the
recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

13. What grades will this requirement apply to?

American Academy of Pediatrics advises that masks are a high priority strategy for grades
K-12 and a low priority strategy for Pre-K. This policy would apply to PreK-12.