To mask or not: School districts debate health, safety plans for year ahead

A split is forming among local school districts — those requiring masks for students in the coming academic year and those that leave the decision to personal choice — largely because of a lack of mandates from state or national health advisers.

The Pennsylvania departments of health and education are not issuing guidance for school districts for the upcoming academic year. Instead, they have deferred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — which days ago reversed its previous recommendation to suggest universal masking indoors for areas with high coronavirus case numbers. The Pittsburgh region is considered to have moderate case numbers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics — backed by the president’s chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci — suggests everyone over the age of 2 should mask up, regardless of vaccination status or region, with exceptions for medical or developmental conditions. Children under 12 are ineligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine.

But Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Pittsburgh-based infectious disease physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said mandating masks “doesn’t really make sense” to him.

“I’ve seen no data that shows that fully vaccinated individuals have much to fear from covid-19,” Adalja said prior to the release of the CDC’s updated recommendations. “School districts can have … flexibility based on community prevalence.”

Adalja said he believes “there’s no clear science” that supports masking for vaccinated individuals because they “don’t pose a risk to others.”

“That’s something that should be reflected in opening plans,” he said. “Masks for unvaccinated (individuals) makes sense, (but the situation) definitely needs to be titrated in the (specific) community (to see) how many are vaccinated (and) unvaccinated.”

As the health and science community continues the debate mask requirements, school districts were required to submit a preliminary plan to the state by Friday to be eligible for grant money from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund. Congress set aside about $13.2 billion in the fund.

The largest district in the region, Pittsburgh Public Schools, is planning for five days per week of in-person instruction this fall. Masks will be required for everyone — vaccinated and unvaccinated — within its buildings.

The district, which has 54 schools and 21,600 students, also will require three feet of social distancing among students — a recommendation upheld by the CDC — with adults to maintain six feet of distance.

Fox Chapel Area School District’s proposed health and safety plan will not require masks, but the practice is “strongly recommended.” The plan will be voted on at a board meeting Aug. 9. Parents on both sides of the issue plan to present petitions to the board at the meeting.

Masks not required

Districts not planning to enforce mask-wearing in buildings include Norwin, Hempfield Area, Penn-Trafford and Greater Latrobe, although most offer remote e-academy instruction to students who prefer the option of in-home learning. A federal order requires masks to be worn on school buses and other forms of public transportation, regardless of vaccination status.

Leechburg Area School District’s health and safety plan — passed by the board June 23 — also does not require masks. The policy “will be updated closer to the start of school and will comply with CDC guidelines,” Superintendent Tiffany Nix said.

New Kensington-Arnold School District is in the process of revising its health and safety plan, which might be adopted Tuesday. Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said the district will return to in-person instruction five days a week.

Norwin sought public input on its proposed health and safety plan this week. District parents appear to be split.

Mandy Haines of North Huntingdon said she believes masking would “be wise,” at least at the beginning of the school year.

“I’m not happy about it like any parent isn’t happy about it — (it’s a) sad way for our kids to have to live,” said Haines, the mother of two school-age children. “We may not like the situation, (but) we have to deal with it in the most responsible way possible for (the pandemic) to end.”

Another parent of two, Olivia Weber of Irwin, said she believes “it’s disappointing” some districts will require masks heading into the fall.

“After not having to wear one for so long, it doesn’t make sense why they would even consider (it),” Weber said. “It’s just confusing at best.”

Greater Latrobe won’t require masks, and Superintendent Georgia Teppert said social distancing “may not be possible during certain instructional activities.”

Board President Eric Hauser, who voted against a mask requirement, said the district will monitor the spread of the pandemic and adapt as needed. “If masks are needed, we will put the masks on,” he said.

Shawn Lazeski, parent of two Greater Latrobe high schoolers, said he believes wearing masks creates additional stress and inhibits learning.

“Masks impair the ability of children to learn nonverbal communication skills,” Lazeski said.

John Fullmer, a parent to two children attending Mt. View Elementary — one of whom has asthma and is considered “high risk” — supports mask-wearing.

“As this delta variant is increasing, I don’t understand the recommendation that we would not require masks,” Fullmer said. “To me, it doesn’t feel that you’re putting the safety of the children first.”

Hempfield Area Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said parents expressed strong opposition to mask-wearing among students, though some were in favor. The district lifted the mask requirement because of difficulties that might arise when trying to identify unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people, she said.

Similarly, Penn-Trafford’s proposed plan does not require masks or distancing among students. Assistant Superintendent and Pandemic Coordinator Scott Inglese said “the majority of the community is very pleased with the plan,” which will adopted at a board meeting Aug. 9.

“Things have gotten so much better than the spring,” Inglese said. “If anything changes … we will adjust the plan.”

Wolicki said the state requires schools to revisit their health and safety plans after six months, but Hempfield “will be monitoring” the impact of the virus and make changes sooner, if needed.

Megan Swift and Quincey Reese are Tribune-Review staff writers. You can contact Megan at 724-850-2810, mswift@triblive.com or via Twitter @mgswift7 and Quncey at 724-757-4910, qreese@triblive.com or via Twitter @quinceyreese.