The Superior Express -

The community has been “a buzz” about removing the Sandy Creek and Lawrence-Nelson Schools’ mask requirements. Being the curious person I am, I decided to dig in and find out what all the fuss was about. I spoke to quite a few people and left quite a few voicemails that I am sure will never be returned. It seems this is a hot topic for this area of the state and many were reluctant to speak to a reporter.

I called the Nebraska Department of Education. There I spoke to an informed gentleman about the schools’ mask regulations. He said schools were regulated by the individual school districts and not by the department of education. He also said he could understand the individual school districts not wanting to do away with the mask requirement. Reasoning that if someone tested positive, the health department would have to quarantine more of the students and staff than they would have had to if masks were worn. That in itself could lead to canceled graduation ceremonies and other activities that will be taking place here at the end of the school year.

When I spoke to an individual at South Heartland Health District, it was confirmed they do not regulate the masking but only make recommendations on best practices. Also, per COVID regulations, when someone has tested positive, it is more likely those who wore masks around that individual are less likely to have to quarantine.

It was rumored that students who were caught improperly wearing masks at Sandy Creek were to be sent home and that the seniors were told if they do not wear the masks correctly, they will not graduate with their class. I spoke to the principal at the Sandy Creek school. He assured me no child has been sent home for a mask violation and graduation was not being used as a punishment for this offense. He said only one student had been sent to the office for a mask violation. After speaking with this student, the student then returned to class.

The current frustration with the mask requirements seems to be stemming from the fact that a few of the nearby schools have made wearing masks a recommendation but not a condition. At the first of the school year, parents were sent a document explaining when students would be required to wear a mask, and our area has been at a lower risk for some time now.

I spoke to the school’s superintendent. The school district has a COVID team that works together to set the guidelines for the district in order to provide a safe and stable learning environment. A basic breakdown of the guidelines as far as masks are concerned is, the green zone is business as usual, with no masking required. Yellow zone, masking, and social distancing are highly encouraged, and masks are required for close-up interactions. In the orange zone, masking is required, and in the red zone, school is closed.

A few of the guidelines set at the beginning of the year seemed to be too rigid and not beneficial to students—especially for classes such as band and PE. The health board was contacted, and the district was told they could take a guideline such as masking and implement it where it was needed to keep students and staff healthy. As of Monday, the South Heartland District Health Department COVID risk dial is in the yellow zone. The schools are operating in the yellow zone with some orange components based on the number of staff and students who are currently quarantining and isolating.

I spoke with a few parents on this issue. They believe masking hinders their children’s ability to learn, especially younger children. As a child, we learn to read facial cues that tell us the meaning of the words we hear. Also, teachers learn a lot from the facial cues given by their students. It can be hard to tell if someone is confused or upset when most of their face is covered. Children with learning disabilities or speech impediments are the most at risk. I had a learning disability and a speech impediment at a young age and was taught to use facial cues, I learned to annunciate by watching my teacher’s lips.

Many people are on the fence when it comes to this topic. They choose to mask either because they have to for work or don’t want to rock the boat, which is understandable. I feel for both parties involved in this. Masks have become a hot topic of discussion these days. Many studies have been done showing masks provide little to no protection from this virus. Other studies have shown prolonged masking can have negative effects on one’s health. Some even believe masks are an infringement of their constitutional rights. The other side of this debate are those who have loved ones who are medically frail or they themselves may not be in the best of health. The parents whose child is medically frail want to provide a normal life to them by allowing them to attend school in person. It is understandable to want to do anything in your power to protect the ones you love.

Understandably, the schools do not wish to be liable for an outbreak and the possibility of having to cancel events. Parents want to see their children happy and their learning uninhibited by yet another frustrating distraction. Everyone wants to see things go back to normal, and this “new normal” be forgotten.

It seems a change has taken place at the schools. As of 7:15 p.m. on Monday, the school released an update on the masking policies. Masking will no longer be mandatory in the district. They will, however, be required when students cannot be 6 feet apart for longer than 15 minutes. The district also stated by this date, all staff who wished to be vaccinated will have been, and the 10-day grace period will have passed. Masking is still highly encouraged, and social distancing will be increased.