Face masks will be optional for Johnston County students

Parents will have the final say on whether their child wears a face mask to school in Johnston County.

In an emergency meeting, the Johnston County Board of Education voted 4-3 to make masks optional for kindergarten through 12th-grade students, despite recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommends mask wearing indoors at school.

When the decision came down, a majority of people inside the meeting were cheering that their children did not have to wear masks.

"We are so thankful that the board voted for parents' choice," said Caroline Mikalosovic.

Then, there were those who were disappointed by the board's decision.

"Four of our board members voted for more death and to restart everything like we did last year," said Alan Hall. "There are other variants that are unknown."

In the meeting, district officials presented a case that student and teacher absences would increase if there were no mask requirement, further impacting the loss of learning.

"Learning loss is an important point ... but people's health and life is a lot more important," said Erica Hall.

In Johnston County, 39% of the population is fully vaccinated – behind the state’s 47% rate.

Only 25 people were allowed inside the emergency board meeting.

Some in favor of parental choice periodically raised their signs letting their position be known.

"We were entrusted to our own children. We are around them 24/7. We know what's best for them," said Mikalosovic. "We know when they are sick or happy or sad. We know what's best for them, and we have to be responsible when it comes to sending them to school healthy or sick."

But, the Hall family said they see this decision as the wrong one that could also have negative consequences in the fall.

"The choice they made is dangerous to my children, everyone else’s children, grandparents and others in the community," said Erica Hall.

Another parent at the meeting told WRAL News that their child won't go back to school until they are vaccinated because of the board's decision.