DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Three Bucks County school districts now say masks are optional as the school year winds down. The CDC, however, is still recommending mask mandates not be lifted quite yet and say they'll come up with updated guidance for the fall at some point soon.
Late Friday afternoon, Pennridge School District Superintendent David Bolton announced a one-week mask exemption due to forecasts of high temperatures in the 90s over the next few days. Masks would be optional through Friday, June 11.
"Those multiple days of high temperatures cause a concern for the safety of our students, especially coupled with the wearing of a mask," said Bolton in a district statement.
"We have confirmed with Dr. David Damsker, Director of the Bucks County Department of Health, that safety concerns are an allowable exemption under the current Pennsylvania mask order. The exemption is available to all students and staff and no action is required of our families to take advantage."
The Council Rock School Board voted Thursday night to lift the coronavirus mask mandate, and the following message was posted on the district’s website:
"Per Board approval on June 3, 2021, face masks will be optional for students and staff in school beginning, Friday, June 4, 2021, at 6AM. This includes bus riding and school activities."
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The Central Bucks School District board voted Wednesday night to make the change, and masks are optional as of Monday, June 7.
Both board meetings were tension-filled as parents who were in favor of keeping the mask mandate and those who wanted it lifted took turns to speak during the public comment segments.
"I understand the fear that some people have bought into or really believe in," one mother said during Wednesday’s Central Bucks meeting, "but those of us who have made it through this without any infections deserve to have a right to be free."
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In contrast, parent Layla Casey said, "If we wait until the fall [to lift the mandate] we’ll give reluctant adults time to change their mind and get vaccinated. It’ll give our teenagers time to get their second dose. It might even allow time for the CDC to approve vaccines for kids under 12 or at least closer to that."
Damsker, who recommends masks be optional in schools, said the data is showing that it is safe. Cases are very low in the county — with a seven-day average of 23 cases a day as of June 1. He also said the number of cases are very low out of all the school students and staffers in the county.
"The risk assessment of having three cases in 105,000 people doesn’t mandate the 105,000 people to wear masks," he said.
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Damsker added he would not have made the recommendation a few months ago when cases were higher. But, even after the CDC released guidance in May that fully vaccinated people could go maskless, and concern that unvaccinated people could take advantage of the change, he said cases continued to drop.
He also said transmission in schools was never a major issue. Most kids who were infected got the virus outside of a school setting.
"And thankfully ... we were extremely lucky that this does not affect children in any way, shape or form, like it does the elderly, the morbidly obese, and the other people at higher risk."
Pennsylvania Department of Health says nearly 58% of Bucks County residents have gotten at least one dose, and close to 43% are fully vaccinated.