The USD 253 Emporia Board of Education has a special meeting Monday afternoon on COVID-19 policy. If the board revisits mask use, especially a date for making masks optional, the vast majority in the latest KVOE News poll want the masks to go away now.
Over 1,000 votes were cast in the poll. Of those, 83 percent or 857 votes said masks should be optional immediately. Nine percent or 96 votes said masks should be optional after classes end in late May. Six percent or 64 votes agreed with the current board policy to make the masks optional March 28 after students return from spring break. Another two percent or 16 votes selected “other date.”
Last Wednesday, the board voted unanimously to make masks optional in late March after voting 4-3 against a move to make masks optional Thursday. The board approved an adjusted policy where buildings will return to mask use if their COVID-19 absentee rate is at or above 5 percent. As of Friday, the cumulative rate was 0.06 percent and the highest mark was at Riverside Elementary at 0.23 percent.
The special board meeting is at 4:30 pm at Mary Herbert and online.
