Nevada keeps mask policy – for now

By Staff, 09/10/21 10:27 AM

ROSSTON – For the rest of the month, the current mask policy will remain in place for the Nevada School District.

This decision was made by the Nevada School Board at a special called meeting Thursday night. However, the panel also decided at the end of the month to make masks optional for at least two weeks in October to see if the quarantine numbers spike.

Patrons of the district were contacted via the district’s call system to take a survey on what their opinions of masks were. There were some glitches, according to board members, as the phone would hang up at times before people could answer. Overall, the Labor Day survey managed to contact 142 residents, with 77 in favor of the masks, 27 against wearing masks and 38 saying masks should be optional.

School Nurse Lindsey Casey presented the board with updates on the COVID numbers for the district since school started. The total numbers since Aug. 16 showed 39 students testing positive, with one member of the faculty/staff positive. A total of 86 students were quarantines, with five of the faculty/staff being quarantines.

For Sept. 9, the figures showed 20 positive cases with 25 students and one faculty/staff being quarantined. Unless there is an increase of cases over the weekend, the numbers for Sept. 13 should show 11 positive cases, with 12 students being quarantined.

Casey pointed out the numbers change daily, and sometimes hourly. She told the board she’s been busier this year with COVID than she was last year.

Superintendent Roy McCoy recommended keeping the current mask policy in place. The policy requires students to wear masks while indoors and on buses, suggesting it be reviewed at each board meeting. He said the positivity rate is dropping and quarantine numbers without masks could be a lot higher. The goal, he added, is to get rid of masks as soon as possible as students learn better when they’re comfortable, and younger students need to see their teacher’s facial expressions.

From there, the discussion began. Basically, every member of the board agreed no one likes the masks. David Barr said the masks do more harm than good, pointing out children who wear glasses have trouble seeing when wearing a mask because their glasses fog up, and masks are also a problem for children with sinus problems.

Chris Fore said he hates the masks, but is required to wear them for work. He continued saying he also doesn’t want his child to have to do makeup work or take virtual classes because of the virus.

McCoy said being out Fridays helps a little. He told the board he’d received several calls from a patron concerning the number of minutes children are within six feet of others. The patron was informed there’s no way to show this.

Casey said the cafeteria was a problem at first, but tables have been spaced out, more tables added and tables have been put on the stage to provide social distancing.

Brandon Rhodes asked when things will switch and go the other way, or if the district would be fighting this all year. He agreed he doesn’t know what will happen if they go maskless or make masks optional, but added this needs to be given a chance to see what the “other side” would do.

Fore said while 77  residents favored masks in the school, they don’t wear them other places.

This is how the conversation went, with board president Jeremy Casey eventually saying if the board doesn’t follow the poll results what was the point in doing it.

Lindsey Casey reminded the panel the guidelines come from the Arkansas Department of Health, and the school has no choice where quarantines are concerned.

McCoy said there’s no mechanism in place by the state for withholding funding for districts not complying with quarantine guidelines, but added, the state would find a way. In addition, the district would get a lot of negative media attention if it quit quarantining students, faculty and staff who test positive for COVID.

In the end, the board voted to keep the current policy in place until Sept. 30. On Oct. 4, the wearing of masks indoors will be optional, but masks will be required while on the school buses as they are considered public transportation.

The only other item the board discussed was whether or not to offer Driver’s Education to students. McCoy said he’ll research the feasibility of this and come back to the board in January with what he finds. If it’s financially possible, the district will have to purchase a vehicle, which will require board approval.