School Districts Begin Updating Mask Guidance In Wake Of Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Decision
By: KDKA's Bryant Reed and Chris Hoffman
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled against the school mask mandate on Friday, several districts have updated their policies.
Some districts have decided to do away with the masks while others say they're staying on for the time being.
Allegheny Health Network pediatrician Dr. Michael Petrosky said masks are effective in protecting children.
The concern around the holidays is a child contracting COVID-19, being asymptomatic and spreading it to family and friends.
"They might not even know they have it, but they're spreading it around. Being indoors with a large group of kids, which school is, puts them at a higher risk," Petrosky said.
He's a father of a 6- and 9-year-old and plans to keep masking them.
"It may be uncomfortable at first, but kids don't have breathing issues with it. They can still breathe fine with a mask. They're still able to socialize," Petrosky said over Zoom.
The concern is overwhelming the hospital system, which still has room at this point. Petrosky said vaccinating children also helps end the need for masks.
"We've run some clinics here the past month for the 5- to 11-year-olds, which got approved last month and they filled up quickly," Petrosky said.
Seneca Valley and North Hills school districts have said masks will remain mandatory as long as transmission rates are high.
MORE: Click here for KDKA's School Mask Guide
Danielle Schmidt has a first grader in school at the North Hills School District and also works at a daycare. She said she wishes there was more of a unified stance on what to do.
"I don't know, I'm back and forth on it," said Schmidt. "I just feel like they need to come up with a plan, figure it out and go from there."
Watch as KDKA's Bryant Reed reports:
Meanwhile, Norwin and Canon McMillan school districts chose to make face coverings optional for students and staff.
Leslie Sicilia has a child in third grade at Allegheny Traditional and says there has been no update there just yet.
"I think they should still take precautions and wear the mask," she said.
The mask mandate will remain in effect on buses and vans for all districts, though, as it's part of a federal mandate and hasn't been overturned.
Overall, parents believe giving families an option isn't necessarily a bad idea but the concern lies in both parents and kids not being honest about their health.
"It's hard to make my child wear a mask all day because I know the delays they can cause as well," said Schmidt. "If parents were honest about sending their kids to school healthy it'd be a whole other issue but when you're in denial about your kid being sick and sending them to school with my kid who's healthy that's a hard line to draw and a tough pill to swallow and a hard one to trust."
