Two Delco School Districts Vote To Ditch Mask Mandates Amid Decreasing COVID-19 Transmission Rates
RADNOR, Pa. (CBS) -- Several local school districts decided to ditch their mask requirements Tuesday night as COVID rates decline. At Radnor Township's school board meeting, parents overwhelming turned out to ask school leaders to end the mask mandate.
The vote didn't come until after midnight, but school board members voted 9 to nothing to lift the mask mandate in Radnor schools. A move the majority of students and parents CBS3 talked to are in favor of the movie to end the mandate.
"We are one of the last school districts to go mask optional," one woman said.
Parents packed Tuesday night's school board meeting and students also spoke about the challenges of wearing masks in school and learning during a pandemic.
"Seeing facial expressions, mouths forming words are essential for any child let alone a special needs child," another woman said.
"Decisions of masking kids has to balance the question of how much it's really helping," one woman said.
Ultimately, the district says the decision came down to the data.
Radnor's old health plan required face coverings when county transmission levels are high and at least 2.5 percent of a school's total population tests positive. The school district has seen a significant decrease in COVID cases among students and staff. During the week of Dec. 31, they had 208 cases, but that was down to 18 during the first week of February.
Transmission in Delco has dropped to substantially
Students in Radnor will have to wear the mask for one more day. The mask mandate officially ends Thursday. Students will still have the choice of whether they want to continue wearing one.
"I sit in a desk and listen to my teachers talk from behind a mask, in a cage of plexiglass barely even able to hear him," one student said.
But, they won't have a choice on school buses though, as masks are still required on public transportation under federal law.
In December, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court removed a state mask mandate, leaving the decision up to local districts. Masks are still federally required on school buses.
Over at the Garnet Valley School District, Garnet Valley School District voted to drop its current mask mandate, effective Wednesday.
They went from 17 cases throughout the district last week to zero this week. Citing Delaware County's transmission rate at just over 8%, the district expects the downward trend to continue.
Both districts state they will continue to follow mandates put in place by health and government officials.
Like Radnor, students riding school buses and other district vehicles will still need to wear face coverings, as that is a federal requirement.
Any family with individual concerns about the impact on their child can reach out to their principal.
CBS3's Ross DiMattei, Alecia Reid, Alicia Roberts contributed to this report.
