CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Some students in South Carolina will be required to wear face masks when they head back to school.
Fort Mill Schools adopted the new rule and school leaders in Lancaster are considering it. Some parents are applauding the changes, but others have concerns.
The announcement was made Monday night and by Tuesday afternoon, there were more than 900 comments on the district’s Facebook page.
WCNC Charlotte talked to parents on both sides of the issue.
Before there was a Facebook post about the mask mandate at Fort Mill Schools, there was an online petition pushing for the requirement.
Crystal Thomas said she helped get the petition started.
“It only works if everyone wears a mask,” said Thomas.
Thomas is a nurse with two children at Fort Mill Schools and her husband teaches at the district.
“I’m thankful that they care about my husband who is a teacher and I’m thankful they care about the students,” said Thomas.
However, Jessie Molle is a local teacher and a parent with a different view. She said masks should be recommended, but not required.
“With my child who is going to be a kindergartener, I don’t want him to be traumatized going to school,” said Molle. “I feel like it’s going to negatively impact his love of learning.”
“I am very strongly against this,” said parent, Scott Luczywo.
Luczywo said he’s considering taking his three daughters out of the district because of the mask mandate.
“It was pretty upset last night when I read that email, now we are rethinking our whole fall,” he said.
However, it’s had the opposite impact on Jami Stone. She said her son, who is a senior, initially enrolled in virtual learning but could be reconsidered because of the mask mandate.
“It would certainly make me more comfortable in terms of him going to school in person,” said Stone.
School leaders tell WCNC Charlotte there will be exceptions to the mask mandate for some students with documented medical conditions and the district will provide masks for any students that don’t have them.
“It’s not realistic to expect elementary-age children to wear a mask for 7 hours,” said Molle.
“I understand the fear and the worry and the reasons why parents would maybe be uncomfortable with this, but I think any effort is better than no effort to protect our staff and our kids,” said Thomas.
Lancaster County Schools said they will release their mask policy later this week.