JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County School District students and staff will keep masks on for at least another two weeks, the TCSD board of trustees decided tonight.
The decision was more “operational” than anything, board members and public health experts agreed. Public Health Director Jodie Pond said cases are declining almost as quickly as they spiked, but daily cases are still at an all-time high. It felt too soon to recommend taking masks off just yet, Pond said, but both Pond and Health District Officer Travis Riddell agreed it was time to start looking for an “off-ramp.”
“The decision continues to be largely operational, based on how a lack of masks or masking impacts your mission as a school district” Riddell said. “It’s based on logistics and operations within school districts, but it’s appropriate to talk about what the off-ramp looks like.”
The board agreed to keep masks on until the next meeting, scheduled for Feb. 9, at which time board members will also reconsider how the district uses the Smart Start and test-to-stay. Both were hotly debated at Wednesday night’s meeting, but board members agreed they needed more time to hash out the details. Smart Start, the district’s in-person learning plan, outlines how the district will operate during COVID-19. Test to Stay is a state program the district implements as part of its in-person learning plan. Each either allows or hinders the district’s ability to operate, depending on who you ask.
Public comment at Wednesday’s meeting skewed in favor of doing away with masks. All but one commenter asked the board to strike the mask mandate right away. But a survey from TCSD staff skewed the other way, and board chair Keith Gingery said comments sent via email were passionate on both sides.
“I ran five and a half years ago as an advocate for the staff,” said trustee Betsy Carlin. “I hear from a lot of staff who feel better about doing their job because of the mask mandate… I want to uphold their concerns as well.”
Board members Kate Mead and Alan Brumsted agreed that students and staff were the board’s responsibility.
“We have an obligation to care for the best interest of kids, which is to keep them in school,” Mead said. Brumstead echoed that masking felt like the right thing to do “right now,” but board members all agreed that they want to work toward a future without masks.
The board voted 5 to 1 in favor of keeping masks. Trustee Bill Scarlet voted against it. The board will reconvene Feb. 9 to revisit the mask mandate and the Smart Start program.
Editor’s note: this article has been updated with clarifying language about Smart Start and Test to Stay.
