Maryland state school board approves mandate that would allow some students to go maskless

Maryland’s state school board approved an emergency regulation Tuesday that allows students to go without masks if the community spread of COVID-19 in their county is moderate or if vaccination rates are above 80% in the school or the surrounding community.

The vote of the state board was 12 to one with Army National Guard Brig. General Warner I. Sumpter the lone vote against the regulation.

Students won’t be taking off their masks anytime soon, however, because no school system currently meets the requirements of the emergency regulation. State data show that no district has 80% of its staff and students vaccinated and community spread is at “substantial” levels in all 24 of Maryland’s school districts.

The emergency regulation also still needs legislative approval.

“It gives the local communities something to shoot for,” said Clarence Crawford, the state school board president. “We wanted to give them incentives to help drive the right behaviors in the community.”

Read more: https://www.capitalgazette.com/education/bs-md-vote-mask-mandate-20211207-xrtd622ocjd5divuvotu5c4ydm-story.html
(Annapolis Capital Gazette)