KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Face masks were not listed on the agenda for the Osceola County School Board meeting Tuesday, but that did not keep parents from showing up outside of the district's building to passionately voice their opinion on facial coverings on campus.

Some demonstrators held signs, some just shouted their opinions, but they all found a way to let their feelings be known about the mandate put in place because of a large number of COVID-19 cases at schools and in the community.

Some parents said wearing masks in school can cause a toll on children's mental health because they make it harder for people to understand each other.

Adianis Morales of Kissimmee took an anti-mask stand. “If you have a child that has some mental disability, or any type of disease, this is not good for them," Morales said. "God created us perfect. We develop a very good immunological system even after you have COVID.”

Other parents, such as Darby Bronson of Celebration, said safety should be a priority, no matter what. “We will continue to wear a mask out in public, no matter what," Bronson said. "Until this virus is over with, until enough people get vaccinated and we don't have to worry about potentially killing someone else, we will always wear a mask.”

School board member Julius Melendez said he would like to change the current mask mandate. As it stands, parents can opt their children out of wearing a mask at school by writing a note. Melendez plans to propose that a doctor's note be required to opt out. The current policy is scheduled to last for 30 school days.