LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Students in Fayette County will keep their masks on even as other schools districts across central Kentucky drop their mandates.
About 15 parents and teachers challenged district leaders at a school board meeting Monday night. Every seat was filled and a few people held signs outside.
“You know what this is,” said one teacher as they held a mask in the air, “this is a barrier to student learning.”
Emotions ran high during the meeting as parents asked the school board to switch to a mask optional policy.
“They struggle to understand, they struggle to hear,” said the teacher.
Over the weekend, Superintendent Liggins says FCPS is keeping the mask mandate in place for now because Fayette County is in the red zone for COVID-19 transmission.
"Keeping our kids in school, because that's the priority, that's the focus of the board, that's the focus of Dr. Liggins, keeping kids in school,” said Board Chair Tyler Murphy.
Some of this debate involves other school districts nearby who are no longer requiring masks.
Scott County Schools is the latest to go mask optional. Masks are also optional in schools in Clark, Bourbon, Jessamine, and Madison County to name a few. Bourbon, Clark, and Madison counties are all still in the red zone for COVID-19 transmission.
