FAUQUIER COUNTY, Va. — The Fauquier County school board has reversed its mask-optional policy, saying it will now be enforcing Gov. Ralph Northam's K-12 mask mandate for all teachers, students and staff starting Monday.
At a hearing Friday afternoon, various board members expressed social, medical and psychological concerns about mask mandates but ultimately acknowledged that they are legally obligated to follow orders from the Virginia Department of Education.
The board did reiterate that they would advise parents on how they could opt students out for medical or religious reasons, based on this line in Northam's order: "Any person who declines to wear a mask because of a medical condition or any person with a sincerely held religious objection to wearing masks in school may request a reasonable accommodation."
"This Public Health Order makes it very clear that masks are required in all indoor K-12 settings, and Virginia expects all schools to comply," Gov. Northam said in a statement.
The order falls in line with current CDC guidance recommending masking by all students (age 2 and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. As of Aug. 10, the entire DMV region was either in the high or substantial COVID-19 community transmission classification, meaning the CDC would recommend indoor masking in all public locations, again regardless of vaccination status.
The change in policy has some parents concerned.
"I am against it," Fauquier parent Jacqueline Riahi said Thursday before the mask mandate was enforced. "I recognize COVID as a serious concern for a lot of people but I don't believe that the federal government or the state government should be mandating or dictating wardrobe for individuals or families. I think that should be up to me to decide what's best for my children on taking into consideration their needs, emotionally, mentally and physically.”
Riahi said as much as she believes it is a personal choice, she said she has a whole pile of masks ready to send with her three kids to school if the district votes to require them in Friday's meeting.
While some parents have been opposed to a mask rule in schools, Fauquier County parent Amber Forry said she would be relieved if the district changed its policy to abide by the Governor's mandate.
“I think it will be a big relief," Forry said. "I think it will be a big relief not just for parents but for teachers as well. You know everybody really ultimately wants what's best for the children. They want to give them a quality education in the safest way possible and this is really the best way of doing that.”
Neighboring Spotsylvania County also just voted to mandate masks, reversing its July decision to give parents a chance to opt their students out of the mask mandate. The county went one step further and said those who had originally chosen to opt-out based on a religious exemption would still be required to comply with the new mask mandate.
Sign up for the Get Up DC newsletter: Your forecast. Your commute. Your news.
Sign up for the Capitol Breach email newsletter, delivering the latest breaking news and a roundup of the investigation into the Capitol Riots on January 6, 2021.