Students can drop masks March 12

Starting March 12, students and employees in Mason County’s seven school districts will no longer be required to wear face masks in school buildings or on buses.

People have the option to continue to wear masks, which will remain available at schools.

Gov. Jay Inslee made the announcement Monday. Schools in Oregon and California passed identical measures.

In a post Tuesday, North Mason School District stated, “Students and staff will have the choice to wear a mask at school, with the expectation that others’ choices will be respected. One should not make assumptions regarding someone’s beliefs of health status, nor should they comment on them. Our district will not tolerate bullying of any kind for those who choose to continue wearing masks.”

March 21 was originally the date set to end the mask requirement. When the Shelton School Board met Feb. 23, board members reviewed the legal ramifications of voting to drop the mask requirements before the then-March 21 date.

Board member Sandy Tarzwell said the board members are receiving lots of emails from parents asking what the board can do about mask requirements.

Board President Keri Davidson said she had spoken to the district’s legal counsel the previous Friday, who said dropping the mask requirement early would cause the district to lose state funding. It would also risk putting the employees, all state workers, in risk of danger, she said.

Davidson also pointed out such a move would violate the oath board members took to uphold state law.

If the district doesn’t comply with the state mandate, its insurance liability would not be covered, said Brenda Trogstad, the finance director and assistant superintendent.

“As a school district, we can’t take that risk for sure,” she said.

Dropping the mask requirement early might also prompt employees to file lawsuits against the district “for compromising their safety and going against the current mandate,” Davidson said.