D12 in Colorado Springs explains decision to drop mask requirements on Dec. 18
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - First Academy School District 20 and Colorado Springs School District 11 announced their mask requirements would expire next week. Now, Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 says they have plans in place to drop mandatory mask policies within their buildings.
In a letter to parents and staff, Cheyenne Mountain School District 12’s Superintendent David Peak says the district will no longer require masks or facial coverings in the district buildings starting Dec. 18.
In the letter sent on Dec. 9, Peak says the new mask policy coincides with updated quarantine guidance issued by El Paso County health officials.
“Recently, the El Paso County Public Health Department revised its guidance for local school districts effective December 18, 2021. Officials will no longer require mandatory, automatic quarantines for COVID-19 in local schools,” said Peak. “As you know, the reason for our indoor mask mandate was to keep students out of quarantine and in school. Given the removal of mandatory, automatic quarantines by public health effective December 18, 2021, Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 will no longer require a mask or facial covering while indoors for students, staff, and visitors beginning December 18, 2021.”
El Paso County Public Health tells 13 Investigates they are working on new guidance which will be posted next week with an effective date of Dec. 18, but would not say what the guidance entails.
Both D11 and D20 updated their COVID-19 policies this week, informing parents their mandatory mask requirements would expire on Dec. 13. Both districts say a major reason for the change in policy stems from updates in the fight against COVID-19 including COVID-19 vaccine boosters, and all children 5 - 18 are now eligible to receive the vaccine if they choose.
Due to federal mandates, students will still be required to wear masks while using district transportation or school busses. D20 schools Air Academy High School and Douglass Valley Elementary still require their students to wear masks per U.S. Air Force Academy mandate.
“The use of facial coverings/masks was never meant to be permanent,” said D20 Superintendent Tom Gregory in a release unveiling the change in mask policy. “Instead, it was a temporary measure to help keep our students and staff out of quarantines and in the classroom until changes in our environment occurred.”
