Scott County School Board votes to keep mandatory mask mandate; some parents disagree

Superintendent Billy Parker says the district will continue monitoring all community, hospital, and school data before making any further decisions.

SCOTT COUNTY, Ky (WTVQ)- The Scott County School Board was faced with a tough decision Monday night: vote to leave the mandatory mask mandate in place or remove it.

The board unanimously decided to leave its mandatory mask mandate in place.

“Myself and a lot of other parents are sick and tired of it,” said parent Lydia Moore. “We’re ready for it to be gone.”

“I feel like we, as a community, need to do what we can to keep other people safe regardless of how we feel about it,” said teacher Tina Durham.

Several parents, faculty and medical professionals addressed the school board during the special-called meeting. The meeting lasted about an hour, but the vote was unanimous.
Moore disagreed with the decision. She has three children in the school system.

“I am super disappointed to put it lightly,” Moore said. “They keep moving the goal posts. We never get any indication of what needs to happen in order to move the mask mandate. So wahtever next crisis occurs, they just use that as an excuse to never remove it.”

Others, like teacher Tina Durham, had a different approach. She also has children that attend Scott County schools.

“There are times when we just have to do hard stuff,” Durham said. “And teaching in a mask everyday is very difficult. But having my students at home unsupervised or not being able be worked with the way we’re able to work with them at home is a much harder thing for me.”

Superintendent Billy Parker says there is no timetable on if and when the mask mandate could be lifted.

“No matter what side people are on this, I think everyone in that room understands that everybody, including the board, has the best of intentions for our students,” Parker said. “And in-person learning is for sure what we’re after.”

Parker says the district will continue monitoring all community, hospital, and school data before making any further decisions.