ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — Around 19,000 Rowan-Salisbury Schools students return to five days a week of in-person classes Wednesday, and the decision over whether students wear a mask indoors will be left up to parents.
The district decided to make mask-wearing optional for its students, teachers and anyone who visits a Rowan-Salisbury campus this school year. But there's a bit of a mixed message from the district, as they said anyone who rides a school bus is required to wear a mask.
This comes as COVID-19 cases, including the more transmissible delta variant, continue to rise in Rowan County. Overall, the number of cases is considered "slight" by county health officials.
So ultimately it will be up to parents to decide what works best for their children.
"I sent my son to school today with a mask because a lot of people are catching coronavirus," said parent Derya Jenkins whose son returned to Granite Quarry Elementary School for the first time since spring of 2020. "They're going into an open setting so you have to protect your kids at all times."
RELATED: Masks are optional as students return to the classroom Wednesday in Rowan-Salisbury Schools
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