MEDFORD, WI (WSAU) — A school district in Taylor County is changing its mask requirements.
Monday night the Medford Area School Board spent close to two hours hearing from the public and discussing the school district’s mask requirement.
In early April the Board voted 5-4 to make masks optional in the classroom for kids in grades 4 and under. Masks still were required in hallways and common areas like the cafeteria. The week after the decision, some high school students walked out of class to protest masks being required for their age group.
RELATED: Student walk-out over mask requirements
The board heard from a variety of people during the public comment period of the meeting both in favor and against the current mask requirement. Following the public comment, Board President Dave Fleegel said he did a lot of studying of the numbers in between the special meeting and Monday night to come to a way forward.
Fleegel then motioned to make masks optional throughout the school district if the 7-week average COVID-19 positive case numbers are under 15 cases. If the 7-day average was to go above 15 cases, masks would return to being required in all schools.
Board members then discussed the specifics of the motion and any potential issues with it. Board members opposed to the change cited potential legal concerns both poised by district liability insurance representative Brian Hess and School Board Policy.
Board Member and Vice President Paul Dixon read Policy J.H.H.C- Communicable Diseases to highlight his concern. “The District shall follow federal regulations, state statute, administrative rules, city ordinances, and the procedures required by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services regarding communicable disease.
“If the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is still recommending masks, I have to vote that way. I don’t have a choice. I have to follow the rules. This is the rule so we go by. It’s why we have policies,”.
Board members in favor of the change mostly cited low case numbers in Taylor County. Cheryl Wibben says the information that guided her vote was the recommendation from District Medical Advisor, Dr. Ronald Cooper.
“High-risk individuals should wear a mask at school. Individuals more comfortable wearing a mask should be allowed to do so. In crowded conditions, buses, hallways between classes, masks should be worn by everyone. Make masks optional in the classroom, gym, and athletics with social distance.
“School students should be screened daily. Everyone being sent home with either COVID symptoms or a high fever and should be tested for COVID antigens. Frequently washing your hands and a return to mandate mask wearing if COVID cases spike upward. I recommend that any adults in the school get vaccinated. Elementary children should not be made to wear a mask,”.
The board also heard from Taylor County Health Officer Patty Krug. Krug explained the county gets its COVID numbers from the State Health Department when it comes to weekly averages. She also mentioned the Department of Public Instruction does still recommend masks and other mitigation measures in schools in an April 8th release.
The Board voted 6 to 3 to change the masking requirement to optional if county COVID cases were below 15 through a 7-day average. Masks will still be required on school buses due to federal mandate.
Medford is one of a few school districts to change masking policies after the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Governor Tony Evers’s statewide mask mandate in early April. Other school districts with optional mask policies include Laona, Three Lakes, and Crandon.
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