Strong-Huttig to require masks; Junction City elects for parent choice

School districts across the county and state are reacting in different ways to the August 6 preliminary injunction by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox to temporarily block the state’s ability to enforce Act 1002, which bans mask mandates by governmental entities.

Junction City School District

The Junction City School District has elected to take the approach of allowing parents to decide whether or not their child will wear a mask, according to district superintendent Robby Lowe.

“The district strongly encourages masking for all. The district believes it is important for parents to have a say on this very controversial issue. Parents who choose a masking option are assured of school cooperation,” Lowe said in an email.

This rule will also apply to staff members and visitors to the district’s campuses.

Forms available on the district’s website allow parents to choose the option they wish for their child or children; the deadline for the forms is listed as August 12 at 10 a.m.

The forms present three distinct options for parents to choose from.

Option 1 says that the student will be sent to school wearing a mask or face shield and asks that they wear it from the time they “arrive at school or enter a school bus” until they “leave school or depart the school bus.”

Option 1 goes on to state the parent expects “the school will make a good faith effort to contact me to let me know if my child fails to wear a mask so that I, the parent, can address my child’s non-compliance with my directive to wear a mask while at school.”

This rule will apply “except when eating, drinking, or engaging in outdoor time that allows for proper social distancing,” according to information on the forms.

Option 2 states that the parent will expect their child to wear a mask when requested by staff and that they will supply their child with a mask to wear at those times.

The final option, option 3, states that the parent will “exercise their right to never require [their] child to wear a face covering.”

Option 3 goes on to state that the child not required to wear a mask “may be distanced from other children who are wearing masks during close activities like group learning stations.”

Children not enrolled in any particular option will default to option two, Lowe said.

“The default option is for students to mask when appropriate social distance cannot be achieved. Parents may also chose for their child to never mask. If this is the option [chosen], we will do our best to ensure enough social distance so that all are protected as much as possible. Our plans focus on allowing enough social distance, including classrooms, so that quarantine numbers can be reduced and students are able to stay at school,” Lowe said.

Strong-Huttig School District

The Strong-Huttig School District’s school board voted on Monday, August 9 to reinstate their indoor mask requirement policy for students and staff, according to district superintendent Kimberly Thomas. Bus riders will also be required to wear masks.

“We will continue to monitor this situation and make adjustments as the guidelines and recommendations change. We are committed to ensuring a safe learning environment for all students, teachers, faculty and staff in the Strong-Huttig School District,” Thomas said in an email.

The News-Times also reached out to the Parkers Chapel School District about its mask policy but did not hear back by press time Wednesday. See eldoradonews.com to learn about other school districts in Union County’s mask policies.