Midlands school board will meet to consider change to student face mask rules

A Midlands S.C. school board will hold a special meeting Tuesday to consider changes to the district’s student face mask policy.

Lexington-Richland 5 announced the meeting Monday afternoon. Board members will convene at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to hear from members of the public, then take action on “revisions or deletion” of the policy.

The called meeting comes as the school year winds down, but as pressure mounts in many school districts to do away with policies requiring students wear face masks for most of the school day as a precaution against COVID-19.

Parents at recent school board meetings have asked for the choice to decide whether their children should wear masks to school. Last week, Gov. Henry McMaster called continuing face mask requirements are the “height of ridiculosity” as more teachers and others have had the opportunity to get vaccinated.

The S.C. Department of Education has said it does not plan to change its requirement that students wear masks while attending in-person classes this school year.

Currently, the Education Department requires students and staff in public schools to wear a mask when entering a school building, moving through hallways, during pickup and drop off, while boarding, riding and exiting buses, and when social distancing is not possible.

Students may only remove their face coverings when directed to by a teacher or administrator while in the classroom or during special activities outside the classroom, according to the policy posted on its website.

Schools are now required to offer in-person classes five days a week after the S.C. Legislature passed a school reopening act last month.

The meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the school district office, 1020 Dutch Fork Road, Irmo.