CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – New guidance released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday says students returning to in-person learning this fall should be a priority.
Parents and school districts in the Lowcountry are weighing in on the new guidelines for schools, which touch on topics like the importance on in-person learning, mask guidelines, social distancing and layered COVID-19 prevention strategies.
Kelley Dembowski, who has four children in the Charleston County School District, said she definitely agrees with the priority on in-person learning.
“We moved from Massachusetts, and there was a lot of mental health issues up there because there was a lot more virtual learning up there and no sports and no hanging out,” she said. “A lot of people suffered up there, so I’ve seen it firsthand.”
But Dembowski said she is concerned about the CDC’s recommendation about mask wearing. The CDC’s website states that masks should be worn by those older than 2-years-old who are not vaccinated, especially inside and in crowds when social distancing isn’t possible.
“I feel that sending kids back to school with those unvaccinated having to mask and those vaccinated not having to mask, I feel that’s very divisive,” she said. “I feel like that is instantly going to put a barrier between those with masks and those without. The kids are going to feel it and I don’t feel like it’s going to be a very healthy environment.”
Dad of two John McDonnell agreed.
“To put a mask on a child who is unvaccinated is putting a target on their backs for teachers and administrators and other students,” he said. “To make them cover their faces, to me, is a violation of their most basic fundamental human right to breathe.”
When it comes to school districts’ plans, officials with Dorchester County School District 2 said they are strongly encouraging masks but are not requiring them. They say they are still working on their reopening plan for the fall but said CDC guidelines will be incorporated into that plan, which is expected to be released sometime in August.
The Dorchester County School District 4 released the following statement:
Although the CDC guidelines do state that unvaccinated students and adults should wear a mask while in school, the South Carolina Department of Education stated on July 6th in a memo from Molly Spearman that districts are prohibited from requiring students and employees to wear facemasks while in any educational facilities.
Dorchester District Four will comply with the memo from Molly Spearman and will not require the use of masks in any building or on any school bus, however, the district will encourage all unvaccinated students and adults to wear a mask and allow anyone that wants to wear a mask to do so.
The Charleston County School District and Berkeley County School District have not yet responded to requests for comment, though both districts have their fall reopening plans available on their websites.
The CDC also recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of distance between students, screening testing, using contract tracing, extra disinfecting and more.
For more on the CDC’s guidelines, visit their website.
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