Divided Johnson County school board drops COVID-19 mask mandate for all students
The Gardner Edgerton school district is dropping its mask mandate in all schools, starting on Monday.
During a special meeting, the school board on Thursday evening voted 4-2 to make masks optional in all buildings, going against the Johnson County health order that mandates face coverings in all schools that serve students as old as sixth grade. The Johnson County Board of Commissioners, however, is expected to consider whether to end that health order at its meeting next week.
Along with Gardner Edgerton, the Olathe school board last week agreed to lift its mask mandate in all schools beginning on Feb. 18, one day after the Johnson County Commission will meet. District officials agreed that a school would temporarily return to a mask mandate if its absenteeism rate exceeds 7%.
Johnson County’s health order will remain in effect through May 31 unless commissioners amend or revoke it.
On Thursday, Gardner Edgerton school board member Kristen Schultz pushed the district to continue following the county health order by mandating masks for younger students. She argued that going against the order would be a “dangerous track to take.”
But the majority of the board — four of the members won election in November after campaigning against mask mandates — supported immediately ending the requirement.
“Everybody needs to do, in my opinion, what is right for their own families,” school board president Lana Sutton said during the meeting.
After the November election, the Gardner Edgerton school board shifted to be majority conservative. And the new board got off to a rocky start with some members saying they worried the board would not be able to work together. Last month, second-term board member Robin Stout resigned — the third member to do so this school year. Earlier this month, the superintendent’s resignation took effect.
After a record surge in COVID-19 cases this winter, Johnson County is reporting a drop in its infection rate. But health officials warn that the region continues to report high case counts and that hospitals remain strained.
Schools this winter have struggled to keep doors open due to massive staff absences and a severe substitute teaching shortage. Several Kansas City area districts, including Olathe and Kansas City, Kansas, temporarily closed schools last month because they did not have enough employees to staff buildings.
Officials have said that staffing issues continue, although shortages have been less severe this month as COVID-19 cases decline.
This story was originally published February 11, 2022 at 1:11 PM.
