As thousands of NEPA children inch closer to the first day of the 2021-22 school year, local school districts are under pressure to answer one very important question.
Will students and staff be required to wear masks when they return to classrooms?
Here's where things currently stand throughout NEPA.
Students in the Wyoming Valley West School District in Luzerne County return to class August 31. When they do, those in grades Kindergarten through 8th will be required to wear masks. For those in the high school masks will be optional. The district will offer COVID 19 vaccinations August 28. Forms are available on the district website.
The Pittston Area School board meeting has decided that students and staff, kindergarten through 8th grade, will be required to wear masks. At the school board meeting on Tuesday, August 10, several parents spoke out against a mask mandate with many questioning the effectiveness of masks in preventing COVID-19 transmission.
Dallas School District announced students will not be required to wear masks when they return to the classroom.
Jason Rushmer, Director of Operations for the Dallas School district spoke at the monthly school board meeting (August 9th), saying "at this point, masking has been an individual choice."
Rushmer added that the decision to not require students to wear masks will be revisited before the first day of school, on Thursday, August 26th.