Sacramento City Unified To Keep Mask Requirement In Place Until At Least After Spring Break
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Sacramento City Unified schools will be keeping their mask mandate in place at least until after spring break.
The decision comes after the district's Board of Education held a special meeting Tuesday to decide if they will keep their mandate after the state's COVID-19 mask mandate ends later this week.
More than 600 district parents have signed a petition demanding the district continues to enforce mask-wearing until the summer break fearing for immunocompromised and younger students.
"I ask the board to consider the most vulnerable," said parent Cassandra Hoff. "Many students have siblings under the age of five that can not yet be vaccinated. Many students like my son are high risk or immunocompromised."
Dozens of district parents, teachers and students took part in a virtual public comment to share their opinion.
"My sixth graders need to see my face. More importantly, I need to see theirs to see when they are upset or frustrated," explained district teacher Janine Rupurt.
A recommendation made to the board suggested masks still be required for students and staff until Sacramento County is listed in the "low category" of transmission and maintains that status for two weeks.
"I don't think I will be able to focus in class if we remove the masks," said student Jeanine. "When people aren't wearing the mask, I don't think about my school work. All I can think about is this disease and if I'm putting my family at risk."
Masks could be required again if transmission increases under the recommendation.
"If you guys would follow the science, it would show our children aren't at risk of COVID and therefore should not be forced to wear a mask. They do nothing. They do more harm than good," said parent Patricia Hughes.
On Wednesday, the Board of Education voted to keep the mask requirement in place until April 18 at the earliest.