A school district in Illinois this week
repealed a policy that made mask-wearing optional, just three days after it was
initially adopted as part of an updated COVID-19 safety plan.

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Rockridge CUSD (Community Unit School
District) #300 Board of Education approved the change to allow masks to be
optional on December 13, but reportedly overturned that decision at an
emergency meeting called on December 16.

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On Saturday morning, the district’s website
urged all students, staff and visitors to wear face masks indoors during the
school year 2021-2022.

However, it is still not clear why the
school board made the rapid change in policy. On December 13, the Rockridge
Board of Education voted to make mask-wearing optional for students and staff
beginning on January 6, 2021, when classes are set to resume. The amended plan
passed by a vote of 3-2. Not all the members of the school board were present.

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As per the previous COVID-19 safety
protocol mask-wearing at the district’s five schools was optional, but an
updated plan was published that outlined the policy on masks at five
“mitigation levels.” At the first four of those mitigation levels,
masks remained optional while at the fifth and final mitigation level, the plan
called for a special meeting of the board of education.

Board president supported mask-optional policy

Meanwhile, school board president Nathan
Faith supported the mask-optional policy and previously pointed to high
infection rates in jurisdictions with strict mask requirements.

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“New York, high transmission. Germany,
high transmission. Every single one of them has transmission. You’re not
slowing the spread with a mask,” Faith said.

However, after the mask-optional policy was
adopted, an emergency meeting of the school board was called for December 16. A
brief agenda, available online, listed just one action item: a motion to repeal
the December 13 amended reopening plan.

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Illinois’ WRMJ Radio reported that the
school board voted in favour of repealing the mask-optional policy with four
members voting to revoke it, while Faith joined two other members in
abstaining.