FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Information about how parents in Spotsylvania County can choose to keep their children from wearing a mask in the next school year will soon be shared, according to school officials.
In a 6-1 vote on Monday, the Spotsylvania County Public Schools Board approved to let parents decide if they want their kids to wear a mask. Students and staff must wear a mask indoors unless parents and staff complete an opt-out form.
Board member Erin Grampp made the motion.
"If not medical professionals, parents should be the only people making medical decision for their children," Grampp said in a meeting.
In attendance were several parents including Amy Sudbeck who have been opposed to masks. She strongly agreed with the board's decision.
"I do think that the schools are still strongly encouraging masking but they're giving us the freedom to opt-out and that's our right," Sudbeck said. "Personally, I support parents who want to mask their children, I support parents that don't, I support parents making decisions for their own children."
The decision came right after Virginia issued new recommendations to mask staff and kids in elementary schools regardless of vaccination status, and for unvaccinated people in middle and high schools to wear masks indoors. The day after the school board meeting, the CDC released its new guidelines for vaccinated people to wear masks indoors again.
Chair Dawn Shelley was the lone vote against having masks optional.
"It's not that I don't think you should be optional, I think it's because I'm concerned about everybody," Shelley said in the meeting.
The decision will stay despite the CDC releasing a new map that indicates Spotsylvania County is in the red category of COVID-19 transmission rates. The red category means there were at least 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past week.
As of Monday, about 43% of Spotsylvania County residents were vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the governor has not issued any mask mandates following the new CDC guidelines. A spokesperson for Spotsylvania County Government said it is waiting to hear guidance from Governor Ralph Northam.