HARRODSBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — Most schools across the commonwealth have been back in session for about a month now.
A couple have made headlines this week for recent masking decisions. On Thursday, Mercer County Schools made the decision not to require masking inside.
In a letter to superintendents and board members, the county health director advocates for keeping the masks because of high transmission rates. She also says it is especially crucial because the vaccine is not approved or available for a chunk of the student population, given many are 12 and under.
Some tell LEX 18 it's a decision that should be up to the parents.
"I want those friends of mine, those parents of those kids to be able to make a choice," said Matthew Hughes.
The superintendent of the Burgin Independent School says this came down to a board vote.
"The board voted 4-1 to create their own masking policy. They feel like you should mask from the bus to the hallway, common area, all the way to the classroom," said Will Begley. "When you're at your work station slash desk, it's optional to take your mask off."
These decisions follow similar ones from another district in our area, also making this call. As we reported earlier in the week, Science Hill Independent School unanimously voted to make it optional.
One parent we spoke with says she has been homeschooling her two daughters since the beginning of the year.
"We had talked about it off and on last year, just seeing how things were going," said Stephanie Wilson.
Wilson's daughters are in middle school. She says this allows the family to make the decision they felt would best protect them and their health and safety.
"We can protect the girls," Wilson says. "We can protect ourselves. We can protect our family members. Because we know what we're doing. We can't control what other people are doing."
You can click hereto see the rest of the comments from the Mercer County Health Department.
