School Districts in Tug of War With Parents, State, Over Mask Mandates

School districts across the commonwealth continue to grapple with the fallout of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s mask mandate.

The mandate, requiring all students and staff in public and private schools to wear face coverings went into effect on Sept. 7, setting off a wave of protests from some parents and students who say wearing a mask is a choice that should be made by them, not the government.

After the mandate was announced, Spring Cove, Claysburg-Kimmel, and Williamsburg Community school districts announced they would follow the state mandate, putting an earlier decision to make masks a personal choice on hold, while the Northern Bedford School District opted to stay with its original plan to let students and parents decide.

The schools that opted to follow the edict saw protests from students, parents and district taxpayers who spoke out against the mandate, hoping to spur the districts to change course again and make masking a choice.

On Sept. 8, the Claysburg-Kimmel School Board held its meeting in the high school auditorium to accommodate the large crowd, the majority of whom came to express their displeasure with the mask mandate.

By the time the last parent spoke enough board members were convinced to go against the state mandate and by a vote of 6-2, decided to again make masks a personal choice, allowing parents to fill out a mask exemption form without needing a physician’s note.

On the first day of the mandate, students at Williamsburg Community School District held a protest outside the high school where chants of “No more masks” were heard during class changes.

In response to the protest, the Williamsburg School Board held a special meeting on Sept. 9, hoping to find common ground with the opposition. However, the meeting ended without any progress made as many attendees began shouting and walked out.

Williamsburg parents can fill out a mask exemption request form on the district’s website, but medical documentation must be received within 10 days.

The Spring Cove School District also requires students to have a medical excuse to be exempt from wearing a mask.

Like Claysburg, other schools across the state have permitted students to go without masks after filling out an exemption form without a doctor’s note, using an apparent loophole in the mandate that doesn’t expressly require medical clearance to be exempt from wearing masks.

Last week, Gov. Wolf warned districts that allowing parents to file for medical exemptions without providing proof from a doctor violates the mandate and those trying to exploit the loophole could face consequences.

Pa. Secretary of Education Noe Ortega sent a letter to one district, believed to be the Tamaqua Area School District in Schuykill County, accusing the board of “flagrantly violating” the mandate and warning the district’s leaders that they could face repercussions.

While no punishments have been handed out so far, Sec. Ortega told school board members that if they don’t comply with the mask mandate, they could lose their liability insurance, be levied fines and be open to civil lawsuits.

“Failing to adhere to the order, you may personally face lawsuits from those who may be affected by noncompliance with the order, including children who may become ill as a result of the district’s violation, or disabled children who are unable to attend school because of the district’s failure to follow the order,” Ortega wrote.

While Ortega’s letter was addressed to one specific school district, it sent a message to school districts throughout the state that Gov. Wolf’s administration considers compliance with the mask mandate to be non-negotiable.