Wichita school board votes to strongly recommend but not require masks as year begins

Children returning to Wichita Public Schools are strongly encouraged to wear masks indoors whether or not they have been vaccinated, although the Wichita Board of Education will not require masks for students or staff despite the increased threat posed by the COVID-19 delta variant. The school board voted 4-3 Monday evening to “strongly recommend” mask-wearing, overriding concerns that not implementing a mask mandate puts children who are too young to be vaccinated as well as immunocompromised family members at risk of contracting the virus. The board approved Superintendent Alicia Thompson’s recommendation to require masks for visitors to Wichita schools while only encouraging students and staff to use them as a safety measure to prevent the spread.
Source: Wichita Eagle