FORT SMITH, Ark. — The Fort Smith Public Schools Board of Education agreed at its regular board meeting Monday (April 26) to keep the district’s mask mandate in place until the end of the school district.
During the citizen’s participation segment of the meeting, Lacy McCain, mother of two school-age children who attend FSPS, appealed to the school board to drop the mask mandate considering Gov. Asa Hutchinson lifted the mask mandate at the end of March. McCain said children should be allowed to return to normal in classrooms for their health and mental well-being.
The school board in March agreed that mandates set prior to the start of the first of the 2020-21 school year should stay in place through the end of the year. Superintendent Dr. Terry Morawski said the plan was to lift the mask mandate for students, teachers and staff in June. Board member Wade Gilkey moved the mandate be lifted immediately. The motion did not receive a second.
“We made an agreement with the parents, with teachers and the community. Many parents made decisions to have their children attend on campus or virtual even at the start of the semester based on that mandatory mask plan for the school year,” said Dee Blackwell, school board member.
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