Children in Caldwell School District no longer required to wear masks in classroom
Caldwell School District students and staff are no longer required to wear masks in the classroom.
The district’s board on Monday voted to remove its mask requirement and instead change its policy to “recommend” masks in school buildings.
Trustees decided to revisit the mask policy shortly after the COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for kids ages 5-11. The vaccine for children in that age group requires a lower dose than that for people 12 and older, but still requires two doses given 21 days apart.
No children in that age group have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The vaccine was first made available to kids 5-11 last week.
Caldwell’s new policy, which took effect Tuesday, does not apply to visitors, who are still be required to wear masks when in school buildings. In an email to families, Superintendent Shalene French said students or staff may be required to wear a mask “as part of COVID exposure protocols.”
The district is continuing to ask that parents not send their kids to school if they are sick, or waiting for COVID-19 test results. The superintendent also encouraged parents to consider vaccinating their kids.
“The board will continue to review COVID-19 data and absentee reports for both students and staff,” French said in the update. “The board will revisit the mask expectation in the coming weeks if necessary.”
Debates over mask mandates have stirred tension for months in school districts across the Treasure Valley.
In August and September, as COVID-19 cases surged across the state, several school districts — including Caldwell and West Ada, the largest district in the state — mandated masks for students and staff.
West Ada and the Boise School District still have mask mandates in place.
Public health experts have said that children who get COVID-19 typically experience more mild symptoms, but they can still get sick and be hospitalized or die from the virus. Kids who have been infected with COVID-19 have also developed a rare complication, known as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome or MIS-C, that often causes illness severe enough for the intensive care unit.
The Department of Health and Welfare reported An infant in Idaho died of COVID-19 last month, the Department of Health and Welfare reported Tuesday. It is the first time the state has reported a child death from the virus. Among those under the age of 18, Idaho has reported 262 COVID-19 hospitalizations since the pandemic began.
COVID-19 cases remain high across Idaho, and the state is still in crisis standards of care. But in recent weeks, Idaho has seen a drop in cases and hospitalizations.
This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 1:57 PM.
