Wake schools say face masks will soon no longer be required, but still recommended
The Wake County school system announced Friday that face masks will soon no longer be required in North Carolina’s largest district.
The message sent to families on Friday morning tells parents that Wake anticipates face masks will become optional in the coming days but will still be recommended. The school board, which had originally planned to vote on the mask policy on March 1, has now scheduled a special meeting for 4 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the changes.
Wake cites Thursday’s announcement from the state Department of Health and Human Services, when Gov. Roy Cooper called on school districts and towns to end their mask mandates.
The district says the effective date of when masks will become optional hasn’t been determined yet. Wake said more details will be provided once a specific effective date is determined by the board.
Masks required for nearly 2 years
This will mark the first time that masks haven’t been required in Wake schools since the COVID-19 pandemic first struck in March 2020.
“WCPSS has offered in-person instruction during much of the past two years due largely to the tremendous efforts of staff and families willing to follow the health guidance of state and local officials,” Wake said in the Friday message. “While the relaxed health guidelines do not mark the end of the pandemic, it does signal a new phase for this virus.
Face masks were required last school year by the state. Even though the state left the decision up to individual schools this school year, Wake had joined many districts in continuing to require masks.
But pressure has been rising on schools to make masks optional. Protesters at Tuesday’s school board meeting had urged Wake to end the mask mandate before the scheduled March 1 vote.
In the past week, around two-dozen school districts have ended mask requirements now that DHHS has eased contact tracing and quarantine rules. For the first time since the pandemic, the majority of the state’s 115 school districts no longer require masks.
On Thursday, Cooper and DHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley said it was time for low-risk settings like schools to consider lifting their mask mandates.
Wake’s change also comes as state lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that would allow families to opt out of school mask policies. Cooper has raised concerns about the legislation but has not said if he’ll sign or veto the bill.
The bill has enough Democratic support to overcome a veto.
Masks and vaccinations recommended
While the change will be made, district leaders are still recommending that masks be worn. Wake has 159,000 students.
District leaders are also encouraging all students, staff and families to get the COVID-19 shot, saying vaccinations remain the most effective tool against infections from COVID-19,
“Health officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of vaccinations in slowing spread,” Wake said. “Our high vaccination rate puts our district on solid footing once face coverings become optional. In the meantime, if your child is not feeling well, please have them stay home and get tested.”
Reaction to Wake’s change
The change drew a variety of reactions on Friday.
State Rep. Erin Pare, a Wake County Republican, said the announcement “is long overdue.”
“Today’s announcement that Wake County Public Schools will no longer require masks on our children is great news for Wake County families,” Pare said in a news release. “The announcement came less than a day after I voted with my colleagues for the ‘Free the Smiles Act,’ which would give parents the choice whether or not their child wears a mask in school.”
Based on the legislation passing, Amy Marshall of the Carolina Teachers Alliance urged Wake to immediately lift the mask mandate. Her group organized Tuesday’s protest.
“If you drag this out, you will cause further disruptions and more learning loss,” Marshall said in a news release Friday. “Putting out a ‘teaser; the way you did will place undue burden on WCPSS staff members, as they try to enforce your continued mask mandate.
“Please update your ‘teaser’ with the effective date of 2/22/22 as soon as possible. It’s time to get back to the business of educating kids.”
But some parents voiced concerns that ending the mask requirement could put their children and families at health risk.
“It fills me with dread,” Patti Mulligan, a Wake parent, tweeted Friday. “As soon as things start to get better for a couple weeks they just throw all caution up the wind.”
This story was originally published February 18, 2022 at 9:16 AM with the headline "Wake schools say face masks will soon no longer be required, but still recommended."
