SAINT PAUL, Minn. — As the beginning of the school year draws closer for many metro students, the St. Paul Public School district is planning to vote on if their students will start the year masked or not.
Superintendent Joe Gothard introduced a resolution requiring masks for everyone older than two inside school buildings, including students and visitors, at a Committee of the Board meeting August 10. That resolution will go before the Board of Education on Tuesday night for a full vote.
Because of the way the district is structured in St. Paul, Dr. Gothard must go through this process to require masks in schools, unlike the Minneapolis Public School District where the district can decide without a vote.
Anoka-Hennepin, the largest school district in Minnesota, recommends that students and staff wears masks, but has chosen not to make it mandatory. Minneapolis Public Schools will require everyone in school buildings to be masked, regardless of vaccination status.
SPPS said on their website that in planning to require masks they're following current recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC. MDH notes that while fewer children are getting seriously ill with COVID, they can still spread the virus to others. Since children under 12 are not able to get a COVID vaccine, there is an increased risk of transmitting cases of COVID within classrooms.
Tuesday's meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:05 p.m., with public comments starting at 5:30 p.m. Information on signing up to make a public comment is available here.
MDH recommends that everyone over the age of 12 get a COVID vaccine. In addition to vaccination locations provided by the state and health care providers, three SPPS schools are hosting vaccination clinics. These location are open to students and their families, as well as anyone in the community still in need of a vaccine. Find more information about these clinics here.