Tuscaloosa City Schools extends mask wearing requirement

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - The Tuscaloosa City School Board made a decision on mask wearing going forward.

The board voted Tuesday night in favor of a policy that makes it optional and no longer a requirement under the right circumstance. WBRC talked to the Tuscaloosa City Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Daria about this decision. Daria believes they made a decision that takes into account the current low numbers of coronavirus cases in the school system and what’s best for students and staff.

Mask wearing in school buildings will continue as a requirement through November 19th. Daria told board members they were at a point where he believed they could remove mask wearing as a requirement. A majority, but not all board members, wanted to see it continue past last night according to Daria. The Board decided the mask wearing requirement will automatically expire if no other recommendations are made and if the number of positive coronavirus cases are below one percent in the school system. If that number is above one percent, the mask wearing requirement stays in place.

“It gave us a target. You know we’ve ben looking at our daily numbers and our weekly and two week averages. They’ve been trending down which is great and the for the last couple of weeks they’ve been staying there. We want to see that obviously continue and if it does then masks become optional,” Daria continued.

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