Middlesex student masking optional starting Friday

School board votes to let parents decide on children’s masks; teacher masking still required

by Larry Chowning –

The Middlesex County School Board (MCSB) voted 4-0 Monday, Feb. 14, to adhere to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive “Order No. 2” that gives parents the right to decide whether or not students wear masks in school.

The board voted 4-1 on Jan. 21 to keep mandated masks in schools until Middlesex Superintendent Dr. Tracy Seitz reviewed recently received information on COVID-19 from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).

At the meeting Monday, Dr. Seitz explained that the VDH information did not discourage the governor’s executive order to allow parents to choose, but cautioned that the virus is still very dangerous.

Students will continue to be required to wear masks on buses. Board Chairman Claudia Soucek explained that the bus rule is a federal mandate that Youngkin and other state officials have no control over.

She also stated that teachers will continue to be required to wear masks as that ruling is governed by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and that mandate is still in effect.

Public comment

Nine people spoke during the public comment period and all were in favor of parents choosing whether or not students wear masks. This was in contrast to the Jan. 21 meeting, where the majority of speakers were in favor of masking…