MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – School districts in Wisconsin don’t seem to agree on whether the federal government requires masks on school buses. On Tuesday, the Eau Claire Area School District lifted its in-school mask mandate; meanwhile, announcing face coverings would not be required on school buses. However, several Dane Co. districts stated federal regulations mandated them when lifting the requirement in schools.
When asked why school buses would not be included in the federal regulation requiring them on public transportation, the company which serves Eau Claire’s school district, Student Transit, pointed to an exception in the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s guidance on the Executive Order requiring face coverings. The company told NBC15 News’ sister-station WEAU that an entry in the FAQ sections means school buses are not included by the order. Student Transit’s Jim Fey highlighted a section that read:
“School bus operations are specifically excepted from the statutory definition of public transportation. The (U.S. Transportation Security Administration) Security Directive, likewise, does not include school bus operations in its mask mandate.”
The next sentence, which was not highlighted by Fey, continues, “(h)owever, as explained above, the CDC Order applies to school buses.”
Three Dane Co. school districts, on the other hand, specifically cited federal guidelines for continuing a mandate on school buses. Two of them, Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District and Verona Area School District, cited TSA regulations for maintaining the requirement, with the latter district including a link to these guidelines.
Sun Prairie Area School District also pointed to federal regulations, with a spokesperson for the district telling NBC15 News, “We are not aware of any exception for school buses.” She also provided a link, coincidentally, to the same page as Student Transit. Recent changes by the Dane Co. districts come following an announcement by Public Health Madison and Dane Co. that it will not renew its indoor mask mandate when the current one expires at the end of the month.
Seeking clarification for the discrepancy, a spokesperson for the U.S Dept. of Transportation told WEAU, “yes, school bus operators, including operations by public school districts, and their passengers are required to wear masks as defined by the Order issued by (the CDC). Included in the USDOT’s reply was the exact same excerpt of the agency’s guidelines that were cited by Student Transit for its claim that the Eau Claire students do not need to wear a face covering.
Because the TSA and USDOT both state the requirement for public transportation is based on CDC restrictions, both NBC15 News and WEAU reached out the health agency. The CDC did not respond to initial requests for comment and, upon receiving a follow-up from NBC15 News, a spokesperson did not clarify other than to direct to this website containing CDC guidelines. Further requests for comment were not returned.
The Wisconsin School Bus Association, with whom Student Transit consulted before making its change, asserted, in a statement from its president and executive director, Cherie Hime, “CDC guidance is not law.”
Copyright 2022 WMTV. All rights reserved.
