MUKWONAGO — While students will have to wear masks in class for the rest of the school year, the Mukwonago School District will make masks optional for summer school. The decision was made at Monday’s school board meeting.
Many parents showed up to the school to voice their opposition to the mask mandate currently in place.
“What I’m asking tonight and what I think a lot of people here are asking tonight, is to please make masking optional,” said one parent. Another said, “my kids should allowed to be in school where they don’t have to have their face covered.”
A majority of people who spoke or sent in comments during the meeting’s public comment period were against masks in the classroom. Long-time math teacher Jim Ferwerda addressed the meeting, saying, “I am scared. I am scared for my family. I am scared for myself.”
Ferwerda asked the board to keep the staff’s health and safety in mind when making their decision.
With only 33 days left in the school year, the superintendent says the mask mandate will remain in effect for the rest of the year. There was not a lot on the issue during Monday’s meeting, but there was a vote on masks for summer school.
In a unanimous vote, the board decided to make masks optional when students come to class for summer school.
The Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes for Health currently recommend masks for students in classrooms.