The North Santiam School District Board has voted for the district to go mask-optional by March 31 after the Oregon Health Authority announced an intent to lift statewide school mask mandates by that date.
During its regular meeting Feb. 17, the board unanimously voted to lift current mandates after a recommendation by Superintendent Andy Gardner.
Gardner said there may be growing pains in this transition, as there were during the transition into mask requirements. But he said based on declines in COVID-19 infection rates and hospitalizations, lifting the mandate makes sense.
“I think conditions are right and we need to do this,” he said.
School and general deadlines differ
Face masks have been required within Oregon school buildings since 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The state intends to lift this requirement March 31 in light of increased vaccination rates and decreased infections and hospitalizations.
This differs from a similar announcement that the state will lift its general mask mandate by March 31, or earlier if pandemic conditions improve. While the second deadline is fluid, the deadline to lift mask mandates in schools is firmly set for March 31.
Gardner said districts throughout Oregon are pressing Gov. Kate Brown to be flexible in lifting the school mandate as well, but so far the March 31 deadline remains in place. He recommended NSSD finalize its approach to going mask-optional by mid-March in the event Brown’s administration does budge on the deadline.
Mask-optional policy needs
Gardner said the board must determine how to manage students and staff who are exposed to COVID-19, and whether or not they must quarantine or wear masks, and how vaccination will factor into the approach. The board must also determine how willing it is to accept legal risk if someone accuses the district of alleged COVID-19 exposure as the result of lifting mask mandates. Gardner said legal counsel has advised they do not foresee the district being held liable.
Board Member Coral Ford said she wanted to see a policy addressing unvaccinated teachers, who are currently required to wear masks at all times while in the building, with some taking measures such as eating lunch alone in the parking lot to comply with rules. Gardner said this concern relates to a different part of state policy and must be addressed separately from the March 31 deadline, but can be incorporated into the board’s mask-optional approach.
Board Vice Chair Laura Wipper said she was concerned how students may react when told they can choose whether or not to wear masks, as some groups may harass others who make the opposite choice.
Student Representative Tayven Whielden said most students will likely feel so relieved from being able to choose they will not fixate on the decisions of others, and said keeping the mandate in place would cause more harm than potential clashes between mask-wearers and non-mask-wearers.
Wipper also said she wants the board’s mask-optional policy to focus on student health and safety. Though she is personally tired of wearing masks and thinks the decision should be in the hands of parents, she also acknowledged COVID-19 precautions should be mindful of those who are immunocompromised or have underlying health conditions.
“I will be very relieved when we go back to some semblance of normal, but I remain worried about student and staff safety,” she said.
When the board voted for the district to go mask-optional, and the motion included language to transition on or before March 31. Gardner said yhat would cover the district in case the deadline changed.
Lobbying for earlier transition
After the vote, Board Member Mike Wagner read an open letter to Brown prepared by Board Member Erin Cramer on the board’s behalf that called on Brown to move up the deadline as soon as possible.
The letter described how, at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, all public agencies were overwhelmed with unknown factors and could not help but take broad action. However, after two years of research and experience, local governments and health agencies are far better-prepared to make decisions that help communities balance public safety and personal freedom.
“We are now at today, not yesterday,” said Wagner. “…The next right decision for today is for your administration to cede those controls to the local authorities.”
The board approved of the language in the letter, and directed staff to prepare a finalized copy they could sign. Wagner said Cramer’s wording very eloquently conveyed the board’s strong feelings on the issue.
