Education

With updated state guidance, more NC school districts move to make masks optional

On Monday, five local school districts will decide whether it's time to do away with masks in the classroom.

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SMITHFIELD, N.C. — Five central North Carolina school districts met Monday night to decide whether it's time to do away with masks in the classroom.
These meetings come days after the state revised COVID-19 guidance for schools, although the changes were related to quarantine, not masking, and the state Department of Health and Human Services still recommends face coverings.

On Monday, the Moore County Board of Education voted for masks to become optional effective immediately.

Ed Dennis was the only school board member to vote 'no' on making masks optional.

"I'm very concerned of what may happen if we go masks optional at this time. I [would] much rather wait until next months — masks and vaccinations work," said Dennis.

Chatham County also voted to make masks optional on or around March 7. School board members said the board would have a meeting prior to March 7 "to review data available and affirm and authorize next steps."

But, Chatham County school board members voted to no longer require masks at athletic events starting Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Edgecombe County school board members voted for the mask mandate to stay in place until at least Feb. 28, when it will be considered again during a special session.

Northampton County voted to continue the mask mandate, while Franklin County postponed voting on they're mask mandate until Feb. 28.

Northampton and Franklin County schools will also decide whether or not to keep the mask mandate Monday.

Franklin County's superintendent sent a letter to parents Friday saying she will ask the board to postpone the February mask vote for two weeks. If COVID-19 numbers continue to decline, the district could consider making masks optional, she said.

A spokesperson for Wake County Public School System said school board members were not playing to discuss updating quarantine guidance or discuss COVID-19 protocols during Tuesday night's meeting.

Board member Karen Carter had previously sought to vote on the school system's mask rules and quarantine guidance. But a WCPSS spokeswoman said school leaders are still reviewing the state's updated guidance, and didn't feel a new vote was needed if staff was still reviewing.

Last week, Johnston County school board members voted 6-1 to transition to optional masking starting Feb. 21.

"I think it's time to give parents the choice [and] let them decide on what's best for their student," said Johnston County Board of Education Chairman Todd Sutton.

In a special-called meeting on Monday, Johnston County school board members removed stipulations around allowing optional masking. Previously, in order for masks to stay optional, the COVID-19 positivity rate among staff and students had to remain under 4 percent.

With the update to the Strong Schools NC Toolkit last week, Johnston County school board members voted Monday to end contact tracing and no longer require students and stuff who were in close contact to a person who tested positive for COVID-19 to quarantine. Now, individuals who test positive for the virus must quarantine for 5 days and continue wearing a mask for an additional 5 days after the quarantine period ends. Individuals unable or unwilling to wear a face mask for the additional 5 days will need to remain at home.
Whether or not a mask mandate should be in place has been a debated topic in Johnston County. In September, Johnston County Public Schools made national headlines when Rep. Madison Cawthorn joined dozens of parents in protesting the school mask requirement.

But pediatrician Dr. Kristin Donoghue said she's worried the move to drop masks might be too premature.

"You have to do it in a step-wise fashion," said Donoghue.

Donoghue said while the decline in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations is exciting, the positive test rate remains high — posing a greater risk for spread of the virus.

Instead of dropping the mask mandate, Donoghue said there are other options school leaders should consider taking.

"I think that, you could be considering more universal screening of students to capture infections — asymptomatic and otherwise. I think recommending vaccines is ideal because that keeps people healthy and kids in schools," she said.

Cumberland County also voted for masks to become optional starting Feb. 16. Meanwhile, Lee County voted 4-3 for masks to remain in place.

Harnett County previously voted to also make masks optional for all students.

North Carolina does not have a blanket mask requirement for schools, and state law requires each district to vote on the mask policy each month. Wake County will vote next on the district's mask mandate in March after the school board extended the existing mandate last week. Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said Monday night that she hopes the city can lift its indoor mask mandate by March.

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