Part of Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s announcement last week that the statewide mask mandate, which required Arkansans to wear a face mask in most public settings in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, would be lifted as of March 30, was a provision that school districts in Arkansas could decide for themselves whether they wanted to continue requiring masks on school grounds and at school activities.
Hutchinson and Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Johnny Key said then that school boards would be able to vote whether to keep mandated masking for their districts and that any decision made would have to be published on each district’s website by April 15.
Since then, two local districts — El Dorado and Parkers Chapel — have both announced that masking will continue to be required through the end of the 2020/2021 school year at least.
“The protocol we have used this school year has made a difference for us. Our staff and student body have worked hard to ensure everyone is as safe as possible. We can do this for two more months and finish the school year safely,” read a statement from PCSD Superintendent Michael White published on the district’s website on April 1
ESD Superintendent Jim Tucker indicated even before the mandate was lifted that El Dorado schools would continue to require masking, as Hutchinson said in February the mandate would be lifted at the end of March if COVID cases stayed low and hospitalizations related to the virus fell below 750.
He confirmed that masking would continue in the ESD in a post on the district’s website the same day the statewide mandate was lifted.
“I can respect and understand that decision for the general public, who can decide where or where not to go. However, in the school setting, it will still be the policy and practice that staff and students in the El Dorado School District will continue wearing masks until the end of the school year,” Tucker wrote. “My job as superintendent is to make sure our students and staff are safe.”
The Smackover-Norphlet School District will also continue masking at least until a final decision is made during a specially called meeting on April 8, according to a post on the Buckaroo Blog. A survey was also published on the Blog for parents, students and members of the community to weigh in; visit thebuckarooblog.wordpress.com to take the survey.
The Junction City School District, as well, will continue requiring masks at schools in the district. A post on the district’s website says parents and other stakeholders will receive a survey so they may weigh in soon.
According to reporting by KTVE’s Gabrielle Phifer, the Strong-Huttig School District will also be keeping their masks until a final decision is made at an upcoming school board meeting. A post on the district’s Facebook page says students were sent home with a Ready for Learning survey on April 1, referring to the name of the health and safety plans each school district in the state was required to make prior to fall reopening.
South Arkansas Community College, too, will continue to require masks through the end of the 2020/2021 school year, at which point the policy will be reviewed again.
“Based on guidance from the Arkansas Department of Health, the CDC (United States Centers for Disease Control) and the SouthArk Re-Opening Task Force, we will continue wearing masks through the end of the school year,” a statement on the college’s website reads. “Stay safe, stay well and stay SouthArk Strong!”
Schools throughout the state have been one source of COVID-19 cases since they reopened in the fall. At one point or another, each district in Union County has reported COVID-19 cases among students and staff.
The latest reports on COVID-19 cases in educational institutions, which were produced last week by the Arkansas Department of Health, showed that no districts in Union County had five or more active COVID cases among students and staff.
The last time the ESD appeared on such a report was March 11, when 305 cumulative cases had been identified in the district, including 91 in staff and faculty and 202 in students.
Junction City reported its most recent case cluster on February 18, when 52 cases, 16 in staff and faculty and 36 in students, had been identified.
In the SNSD, more than five active cases were last reported on February 15; a total of 137 cases had been identified in the district then, including 30 staff and faculty cases and 101 in students.
Strong-Huttig has seen the fewest COVID cases among students and staff of any public school district in the county. The SHSD last appeared on a COVID school report on February 11, when there were 24 cases identified in the district, including 10 in staff and faculty and 13 in students.
The PCSD last reported more than five active cases within its schools on February 4, when there were 75 cumulative cases, including 22 in staff and faculty and 49 in students.
At SouthArk, 71 cumulative cases were reported on January 28, including eight in staff and faculty and 50 in students.