Masks required for students, staff at Anne Arundel County schools

Public school classes start next week

Anne Arundel County Public Schools will require masks when students and staff return to in-person classes next week after a vote on making masks optional was withdrawn from the agenda Wednesday.

At the start of August, Superintendent George Arlotto announced that based on recommendations from the county health officer and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all students and staff would need to wear masks indoors, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

On Aug. 18, District 3 school board member Corine Frank said students and teachers should have the choice to not wear a mask, based on their own medical history and that Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s mandate was no longer in place.

The board agreed to discuss masking at its Sept. 1 meeting.

Last week the Maryland State Board of Education voted to mandate masks in

public schools regardless of vaccination status, in line with Arlotto’s announcement. That emergency measure needs to be approved by a legislative committee, which will not meet until Sept. 14.

Frank withdrew her motion to make masks optional, citing the state board’s decision.

“The state board has discussed reviewing their masking mandate monthly, and I think it is in the best interests of this board to be reactive to what they say in the future and to not have a settled motion at this date,” Frank said.

The board went into recess just before 2 p.m. as a tornado warning was issued for the area. They reconvened shortly after 3 p.m. and moved rapidly through the remaining agenda items, adjoining by 4 p.m.

South River High School’s athletic stadium and the Center for Applied Technology South we’re damaged Wednesday, according to schools spokesman Bob Mosier.