Email sent from Carroll County Public Schools to parents of students on February 15, 2022:
At the Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, February 9, the Board voted to approve a resolution calling for an end to the statewide mask mandate in public schools. (Please click here to see the resolution.) In addition, the Board authorized its legal counsel to file a petition in Carroll County Circuit Court seeking a Declaratory Judgment that the emergency legislation approved by the Maryland State Board of Education in December is contrary to Maryland law.
We feel that it is important for our parents and employees to be aware of this action and the scenarios in which the mask mandate would be lifted in Carroll County Public Schools. Masks will become optional in Carroll County Public Schools immediately upon any one of the following legal conditions being met:
· The Maryland State Board of Education rescinds the mandatory face covering requirement; or
· The Governor issues a formal executive order providing local boards of education the full authority to regulate the wearing of face coverings as they deem appropriate for their local school communities; or
· Legislation is enacted by the General Assembly giving the Board of Education of Carroll County the authority to regulate the wearing of face coverings as it deems appropriate for Carroll County Public Schools regardless of any regulation by the Maryland State Board of Education; or
· A Declaratory Judgment is entered by a Maryland court to the effect that the Maryland State Board of Education’s regulation on face coverings is in violation of Maryland law; or
· The Carroll County Health Department declares that 80% of the eligible residents of Carroll County have been fully vaccinated by receiving either two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccines; or
· The Carroll County Health Department declares that Carroll County has sustained 14 consecutive days of moderate or low transmission rates of COVID-19.
Additionally, should individual schools and facilities meet the criteria of 80% of their student and staff population being vaccinated, individual schools can be mask optional, according to the state regulation. More details and communication on this requirement will be provided.
For the time being, the mask mandate in Carroll County Public Schools will continue to remain in effect. In the event that one of the above scenarios occurs, we will immediately notify parents and employees prior to the lifting of the mask mandate.
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Here is a screenshot of the email sent by CCPS:
You can view the February 9th Carroll County Board of Education meeting here:
Scott E
