Board Approves Temporary Mask Requirement in Middle, High School Buildings

Published August 31, 2021

The Williamson County School Board met in a special session Thursday, August 26, and voted 8-4 to approve a temporary mask requirement for students, staff and visitors at the middle and high school grade levels inside all buildings and on buses.

The requirement will begin Tuesday, August 31, and end on Tuesday, September 21, at 11:59 p.m. This requirement is an expansion of the mandate already in place at the elementary level.

Teachers and staff who are distanced at least six feet may remove their masks while indoors. They may also remove their masks during outside activities. All essential volunteers working directly with students are expected to wear a mask.

"This action now means that all grades K-12 will be under a mask mandate, but families will have the option to opt out if they so desire based on the recent Executive Order," said WCS Executive Director of Health and Safety Gary Anderson. "We will watch for the potential impact the mandate has on our positive case numbers over the next few weeks since the Board will revisit its decision during the September meeting."

Governor Bill Lee's Executive Order 84 allows students to opt out of a mask requirement made by a school district. WCS continues to strongly recommend and encourage students, staff and visitors to wear a mask while inside a school building, WCS facility or the WCS Central Office.

Principals will share information with families specific to their school. More information about the district's mitigation strategies, positive case numbers and other COVID-19 information may be found on the WCS COVID-19 webpage.