Will Chester County schools keep mask policy after court ruling on SC ban? What to know
The Chester County School District will stand by its mask mandate — at least for now.
The district announced Thursday it requests that students and staff continue to follow its mask policy, implemented earlier this week, despite the S.C. Supreme Court’s ruling that the city of Columbia cannot require masks in public schools.
Due to rising coronavirus cases, the Chester County School Board made the decision last month to enact a mask requirement in schools — like Columbia — despite a state budget measure, known as a proviso, passed in the General Assembly in June that prohibits schools from mandating masks.
“The district will consult with its legal counsel to determine how the recent S.C. Supreme Court decision in Columbia impacts Chester County School District’s decision concerning the mask updates, and will comply as necessary,” the district said in statement Thursday. “We ask our students and staff to please continue following the masking policy.”
The state Supreme Court said Thursday Columbia’s emergency ordinance, passed last month, requiring face coverings in its elementary and middle schools, was in conflict with state law. The proviso says state tax dollars cannot be used to enforce a mask mandate in schools.
At the time its policy was implemented, the Chester County School District said it will not use state or federal funds for its mask requirement to comply with the proviso.
This month, cases of COVID-19 in Chester County continue to surge. The county is mirroring daily case averages reported at the height of the pandemic. The county’s seven-day average reached 40 new cases per day on Thursday. It’s highest average to date was 41 reported in mid-January.
As of Thursday, 492 Chester County students and six staff are quarantined, according to the district’s dashboard. The district has reported a total of 192 COVID-19 cases for the 2021-22 year. Last week, 124 positive cases were reported.
“Chester County School District stands by its decision to protect the health of its students and staff, and the rights of our students to receive a fair education in a safe learning environment,” the district said Thursday.
York School District One also announced earlier this week it will require students, staff and visitors to wear masks on district property despite the state ban.
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 8:09 AM.
