School Board reverses decision, mandates masks inside Wayne County schools

In a reversal from its Aug. 2 decision, the Wayne County Board of Education voted to require masks inside district schools during a special-called meeting held Tuesday.

The move comes days after Gov. Roy Cooper sent a letter to the chairmen of local school boards across the state, urging them to require the safety measure to prevent a potential return to remote instruction.

“Keeping children and staff in the classroom full-time for in-person learning is essential and following these health guidelines is the best way to ensure it,” the letter read. “None of us wants to close schools to in-person learning.”

As of Tuesday, the majority of school districts in the state require masking — including neighboring Johnston, Wilson, Duplin, Pitt and Lenoir counties — and both the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics have recommended masking in schools.

Here’s Cooper’s letter:

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Marcia Manning reported that in the first six days of school — three schools started on the district’s non-traditional calendar — 36 students have been required to quarantine because they were in close contact with a COVID-positive individual on campus and either they or the COVID-positive individual was not wearing a mask.

With a mask mandate, only the COVID-positive individual would have been forced to quarantine under current state guidelines.

“We have 36 students who have been excluded because of optional masking,” Manning said.

Manning also reported that 17 students have been diagnosed with COVID.

Quarantines, she added, have also impacted sports teams from schools that have not yet returned to campus for instruction.

For complete coverage of the board’s meeting — and its decision — follow the New Old North here and on our Facebook page @newoldnorth