Manassas Public Schools repealed the last traces of its mask mandate that had been in effect since students returned to classes last summer.
According to school division spokeswoman Al Radford, the division no longer requires teachers, staff, bus drivers, or children riding school buses to wear face masks.
On Friday, Schools Superintendent Dr. LaTanya McDade announced the changes in policy at the state’s second-largest school division, ending a forced masking policy that had been in place since August. McDade’s announcement comes after the CDC revised its rules on Friday, February 26, which now recommends no masks in jurisdictions where coronavirus transmission is considered low.
According to the CDC, Prince William County has a low virus transmission rate, while Stafford County is ranked “medium” on the new three-tiered scale.
Masks will be optional for nearly everyone in the Stafford County Public Schools system Thursday, February 24, even school bus drivers.
The county School Board on Tuesday, February 22, voted 5 to 3 to remove a masking requirement for teachers, school building staff, bus drivers, and children on buses. The move follows a vote earlier this month that gave parents the option to remove masks before Gov. Glenn Youngkin same new legislation giving parents mask choice.
Virginia lawmakers blocked legislation that would allow school boards to opt out from policies and guidelines developed by the Virginia Department of Education to make K-12 environments more inclusive for transgender and nonbinary students.
Committee votes for the similar House and Senate measures mostly came down to party lines. The Senate bill was defeated 8-5 in committee. The House bill was approved by a subcommittee vote, but in committee the bill’s passage was deadlocked 11-11 when one Republican voted against the measure.
“This is a great day,” said Lateef.
Today in Richmond, the Virginia Senate passed an amendment from Fairfax Senator Chap Petersen (D) that gives parents the right to send children to public schools without a face mask. The bill now heads to the Republican-controlled House of Delegates and then on to Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who said he’ll sign the bill.
