Public schools mandate masks

Should help the district keep up in-person classes for 2021-22 academic year as virus surges, superintendent says

“With the new information we have, it has become abundantly clear that for Mentor Schools to be able to stay open for in-person learning, we need to require face coverings in school, at least to start the year.” — Mentor Schools Superintendent Bill Porter

Mentor Schools Superintendent Bill Porter recently announced that school officials have decided to implement a district-wide mask mandate to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as the new school year kicks off.

The mandate goes into effect immediately for anyone indoors on school grounds. The first official day of classes is Aug. 24.

In an announcement video released Aug. 18, Porter said that new data about the worsening spread of COVID-19 in Lake County, particularly the more contagious delta variant, led district leaders to reevaluate a decision made earlier in August where masks were recommended, but not required.

“With the new information we have, it has become abundantly

“Since the majority of our students are not yet vaccinated or even eligible for vaccination at this time, masks remain an important component to keep everyone healthy and safe at all levels.” — Mentor Schools Superintendent Bill Porter

clear that for Mentor Schools to be able to stay open for in-person learning, we need to require face coverings in school, at least to start the year,” he said in the video.

Porter noted that he was aware the decision would be controversial, but he believes it is a necessary one to prevent Mentor Schools from having to switch into a fully virtual learning format again this fall.

During August, Lake County has climbed quickly into Level Red, an indicator of high community spread of COVID-19, Porter pointed out.

“In speaking with officials from both Lake and Geauga County’s health departments about that, they confirm that COVID-19 conditions are worsening here, and expect the peak of the current surge could come in September or early October,” he said.

“Since the majority of our students are not yet vaccinated or even eligible for vaccination at this time, masks remain an important component to keep everyone healthy and safe at all levels,” the superintendent added.

With community transmission at such high levels, Porter said they were concerned about how quickly the virus could spread through the schools if coronavirus precautions were lowered.

“If you think about a secondary student travelling through eight periods in the day, one case of COVID-19 could potentially lead to 30 or more other students being directed to quarantine,” he said.

The mandate will be for indoor settings, and will not include recess time.

Porter concluded his announcement with an assurance that they will continue to make adjustments as necessary, as more information regarding the spread of COVID-19 also continues to evolve.