CHESTER, S.C. — The Chester County School District was one of the first districts in South Carolina to make masks mandatory, and data shows the decision paid off.
In August, Chester County’s School Board voted 6-1 to implement a mask policy in its schools. The policy went against a South Carolina law threatening school funding for mandating masks.
Amid rising cases and students and staff out on quarantine, at the time Chester County School Superintendent Antwon Sutton said he felt he had no choice but to ask the board to make the decision.
“I have to balance losing state funding or losing students or staff to death,” Sutton said in August. “So as superintendent, I’m trying to save lives.”
The school board made the decision to implement a mask policy on Aug. 23. That week, the Chester County School District reported more than 100 cases of COVID-19 in schools.
“The board didn’t make that decision lightly,” Chester School Communications Director Chris Christoff said. “It was purely out of interest and safety of our students and staff.
Christoff said the school district has not had to shut down any schools this year for virtual learning. He said the district is not sending students home for violating the mask policy, but instead it offers students a mask and then tries to work with parents.
“I can say that no child has been sent home as a result of not following the mandate,” Christoff said. “That [would be] counterproductive to what we’re trying to do here. We're not trying to send students or staff home for not wearing a mask, but we are trying to encourage them and we expect them to follow the policy, as written on our website.”
Last week, a district court judge issued a temporary restraining order on the mask ban in South Carolina schools. However, a legal fight over the ban continues with South Carolina’s Attorney General, Alan Wilson, saying he will appeal the decision.
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.