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MILL HALL -- The Keystone Central School District will comply with the state's masking mandate, it was announced during Thursday night's work session.
Earlier this week, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced that his administration was imposing a statewide mask requirement for all schools, kindergarten through 12th grade. Masks will be required for students, staff and visitors in public and private schools, early learning programs and childcare centers in Pennsylvania, beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 7. The mandate was imposed by order of the state's acting secretary of health, Alison Beam.
KCSD superintendent Jacquelyn Martin announced during her report that the district would indeed follow the mandate.
"We received legal advice from several attorneys, and it is clear that we have no choice but to follow the mandated mask order," Martin said. "The mandate applies to schools, not members of the community. There are no consequences for parents, however, there are severe consequences for school officials, employees and board members who do not enforce it."
Martin said that she knows the masking in schools is a hot button topic right now. In fact, she said that she has received "many phone calls and emails for over a year now."
"The issue has become more politically and emotionally charged in recent months and quite frankly is overshadowing the two most important things we should be focused on -- (that) our kids need to be in person in schools with our teachers and school activities are essential in the overall development of children and young adults," Martin said.
Martin said that it's imperative that schools remain open.
"We need our schools to stay open and we must all work together to support our students and staff," she said. "If the number of cases escalates above five percent positivity, or if we are unable to enforce this mask order, we will be looking at a full remote model again."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended masking for everyone inside a school, regardless of vaccination status, as a way to keep students safe for in-person schooling. Extra safety measures are especially important in schools because no coronavirus vaccine has been federally authorized for children younger than 12, health officials have said.
Even though it is a controversial topic, Martin asked that parents, families and students cooperate with the mandate.
"I am respectfully asking for your unified support and cooperation to follow the school mandated masking order in an effort to minimize the spread of the virus, lower the number of cases in our community and to prevent the rise in cases in our schools," Martin said.
The masking issue has been a controversial topic for school boards around the Commonwealth. On Wednesday night in Spring Mills, state police at Rockview had to be called in when a large group of anti-masking parents and community members refused to follow district policy and wear masks during the Penns Valley school board's work session. That meeting was delayed for nearly an hour due to the disruption.
Such was not the case at Keystone Central on Thursday night. In fact, just two parents spoke during public comment about the masking issue.
One parent, David Dornisch -- who spoke via Zoom -- said that he was in favor of the masking mandate.
"I just want to say that I support the district's decision to go along with the mask mandate that the governor announced this week," he said. "I think that would be the safest thing for the kids. There have been outbreaks throughout the country in schools … I would urge the district to make sure that if things get worse, they're set up for remote learning, if necessary."
However, not all parents agreed with the mandate. Tiffany Climent, who spoke to the board in person, said that her daughter was extremely upset when he she heard she would have to wear a mask again this year.
"She started crying, actually crying, because she was going to be forced to have to wear a mask next week for that long, eight, nine-hour day if you count the bus ride," Climent said.
Climent said that she is personally opposed to the mask mandate. She then explained her stance.
"I want you to know that those parents, those of us who oppose the mask mandate, we're doing so because we really believe that it's detrimental to our children's health," Climent said.
Climent asked that the board "file an injunction" against the mask mandate and ask that masks continue to be optional in the district.
"Please consider working with parents and students that don't want to mask," Climent said.
Per board policy, they did not respond to Climent's request.
The Keystone Central school board will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9 for a voting session. The meeting will be held in person and will also be available via Zoom through the district's website.
Sugar Valley
will enforce, too
On Friday, Sugar Valley Rural Charter School CEO Tracie Kennedy sent a letter to parents, students and families announcing that SVRCS will also adhere to the state's masking mandate.
"SVRCS is required to comply with this mask order as per our 2021-22 Health and Safety Plan," Kennedy said in the letter. "We will be offering students a mask every morning upon arrival to school. Masks are not required indoors if engaging in physical activity (physical education or sports practice), eating and drinking. Mask breaks will also be given to the students."
The letter also said that "school officials have already advocated to our local legislators, and we urge you to express your concern to them, too."
Kennedy also thanked parents for their "understanding and continued support in these trying times."