School board votes to implement local mask policy, countering Governor’s order

By Horus Alas halas@loudountimes.com 12 hrs ago

The Loudoun County School Board voted to pass a measure on Tuesday night that will require the continued use of face masks in Loudoun schools, countering the executive order ending mask mandates in Virginia schools issued by Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) on Saturday. ... The measure passed 8-1, with sole opposition from John Beatty (Catoctin).

“I believe that this is an important step in helping to keep our schools open, which I believe is the board's priority,” Loudoun County Public Schools superintendent Scott Ziegler said immediately after the vote.

The vote follows days of internal deliberations from school officials on how to proceed if the statewide mask mandate in schools were revoked. At the school board’s Jan. 11 meeting, Ziegler anticipated a possible revocation of the mask mandates after Youngkin took office.

On Monday, school administrators said in a statement that they would continue to require the use of face masks when students returned to school on Tuesday.

Horus Alas
Reporter
halas@loudountimes.com