Mask Mandate vs. Masks Recommended

Within the past year and a half of the COVID pandemic, masks have become a very controversial topic of interest. 

Last school year (2020-2021), masks were required for all Hastings Public Schools students and staff up until the last week of school. 

This school year, masks started out recommended for students, but not required like the previous year. However, on September 2, a new mask mandate was put in place; all students and staff were required to wear a face covering for the next two weeks until the situation would be reevaluated.

According to HPS superintendent Jeff Schneider, the determining factor that made masks required again is because of a sudden spike in illness.

“Grades 7-12 had a three day period (August 30-September 1) where 20 positive cases were recorded and over 100 students were absent due to medical reasons,” Schneider said.

In spite of that, the HPS school board had a meeting on September 13. The members of the school board came to the conclusion that COVID cases were currently at a low enough number to no longer require masks at school. 

Interestingly, COVID cases numbers don’t necessarily correlate with whether or not masks are being worn at the high school. 

“There were high cases in the time that we did and did not have them. A difficulty is when they are required at school and not required in the rest of the community; contracting the virus outside the school,” Schneider said.

Schneider also explained how COVID case numbers directly relate to the amount of cases in the entire town of Hastings. 

“When we wore masks all year last year, the cases were very visible compared to the amount of cases in the town,” Schneider said.

Schneider claimed that the mask mandate will be reevaluated every month at the school board meeting. 

While the school is not in a mask mandate, “Social distancing, taking classes outside, and washing hands are encouraged,” Schneider said.

Hastings High homecoming is this Saturday, September 18. Masks will be recommended for students but not required.

If the absentee rate for students exceeds twelve percent over a three day period, masks will be mandatory for fourteen days of school. If the absentee rate is down by the end of that time period, masks will no longer be required. This is on a school by school basis instead of across the district. 

In the event that twenty percent of the school population was absent for medical reasons, “We would close school down for a few days and deep clean the entire school” Schneider said.

“I want people to know that this is difficult for students for different reasons; we understand that this is tough for everybody and we are trying to do what is best for everyone. We want everything to continue; we don’t want school to get shut down again” Schneider said.