As the Richmond County School System prepares for schools to reopen, a reminder regarding the district’s mask mandate was posted to its website
A mask mandate, instituted at the start of the school year, remains in place when teachers and staff return Monday, Jan 3 and students return Tuesday, Jan. 4.
The update adds the mandate includes all visitors to district buildings and also covers school buses regardless of vaccination status.
Anthony Braddix has a daughter attending the county’s Technical Career Magnet School and supports the mandate.
“My feelings are simple. I feel that the county is doing what it can to increase safety,” said Braddix. “Richmond County has its issues. I don’t think this is one of them. If the county could dictate what color of students’ hair, state that skirts have to be a certain length, or holes in pants may not surpass a certain measurement, I believe it’s in the county’s right to mandate wearing of mask.”
The New York Times COVID Data Tracker reported a 32% increase in new cases on Dec. 31, 2021 with 227 new cases.
During the December school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw said the system is working with the Georgia Department of Public Health to monitor SARS-CoV-2 conditions in Richmond County. At that time he anticipated making a recommendation regarding a mask mandate to the board during the January 2022 regular meeting.
District spokeswoman Lynthia Ross says staff will inspect buildings Monday and determine if any areas need sanitizing since being closed two weeks ago for the Christmas break.
