UPDATE: The special school board meeting scheduled for Thursday has been postponed until Tuesday, February 22nd. Classes have been canceled for Thursday because of a winter storm that is expected to bring 6 to 9 inches of snow.
A special meeting has been called for the Wichita Board of Education to talk about mask mandates.
The board’s three newest members submitted a petition calling for the meeting. Diane Albert, Kathy Bond and Hazel Stabler want to end the indoor mask mandates in the district. They called for a special meeting to talk about the mandates and other COVID-19 protocols. They want to change the protocols to match those of other illnesses.
During a February 7th meeting, the board voted 4-3 against a motion to end the mask mandate. Albert, Bond and Stabler were the three votes in favor of the motion. The mandate has been in place since August.
The Centers for Disease Control said Wednesday it is considering a change in its guidance on masks in the coming weeks. The CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, noted recent declines in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Some government and business leaders have already started easing mask requirements and other measures.
The special meeting for the Wichita school board will begin at noon on Tuesday, February 22nd in the Alvin Morris Administrative Center at 903 South Edgemoor.
