Oconee County School District discusses possible mask mandate

COTUR AND JUST TALKING ABOUTMASKED MANDATES SET OFF SOMEEMOTIONS AND PART OF THE UPSTATETONIGHT RENEE WUNDERLICH REPORTSNOW FROM OCONEE COUNTY.HIGH EMOTIONS AT THE OCONEECOUNTY SOOCHL BOARD SPECIALMEETING, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANTTO FLEE SAFE AND YOU KNOWMASSACRE SIMPLE WAY TO KEEP USSAFE IN OUR SCHOOLS.IT’S NOT UP TO THEM TO TELLE MWHAT TO DO WITH WHAT I WANT WITHMY LE.IFEVEN OUTSIDE TEMPERS FLARED.YOU DON’T WANT A MASSIVE CHILDSIT NEXT TO YOUR CHILD.THAT’S NOT WHAT I SAID.WHAT DID I SAY THAT IF YOU FEELLIKE THE MASS IS PROTECTING YOUAND YOU FEEL LIKEOU Y DON’T WANTYOUR CHILD BY MYSELF AND PUTYOUR OUT THAT THEN AWAY FROMMYSELF.SOMETIMES I CAN’T REALLY BREATHEAND WNHE WE GO OUTSIDE,SOMETIMES WE CAN’T TAKE OUR MASKOFF LAST YEAR.AND IT JUST SUCKS.I GOT COVID WHEN I H AAD MASK ONOKONI COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT, DR.MICHAEL.THORSLAND SAYS THE DELTA VARIANTIS SPREADING MORE AND THI YSEARTHINGS ARE BACK OPEN.SO SPREAD IS HAPPENING BEYONDTHE CLASSROOM, BUT NEW DHECGUIDELINES SAY STUDENTSAN C GOFROM SIX FEET TO THREE FEETCIALSO DISTANCING IF EVERYONE ISMASKED, THAT WOULD BE APROPONENT OF MASKS SIMPLYBECAUSE IT WILL HELP US NOT HAVETO PUT AS MANY KIDS INQUARANTINE.AND ASKED I’M A FIRM BELIEVERTHAT KIDS NDEE TO BE IN SCHOOLTHE BOARD CALLED A SPECIALMEETING TUESDAY, BUT DIDN’T MAKEA DECISION ON A MASK MANDATE.THE SUPERINTENDENT TELLS ME THEDISTRICT COULD MAKE A DECISIONABTOU A MASK MANDATE IF THERE’SA CHANGE INHE T LEGISLATURE ORIN THE STATE SUPMERE COURT, BUTFOR NOW BECAUSE A DECISIONHASN’T BEEN MADE THEY DON’TREALLY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TOENFORCE A MASK MANDATE EVEN IFTHEY MADE