Gov. Polis says mask mandate continues, districts should have option to decide on fall football

by: Colleen Flynn

Posted: Sep 11, 2020 / 12:55 PM MDT

Updated: Sep 11, 2020 / 05:48 PM MDT

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MORGAN COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — In a news conference on Friday, Governor Jared Polis said the state is hovering around an R naught rate of one, which is what indicates how contagious the disease is. “We seem to be on a relatively level plateau,” he said.

As for the mask mandate continuing in the state, Polis says it will be with us the next 30 days. “The masks are working. We are all frustrated with the masks,” he said. “I can’t wait for two things: the fire ban is over and the mask requirement is over. I think a lot of folks, including me, are going to be happy to have little bonfires to burn these (masks) things and never look back.”

The day after the Colorado High School Activities Association commissioner said she was reconsidering resuming fall football and women’s field hockey, the Board of Directors unanimously voted not to change the fall schedule on Wednesday. A protest is planned on Friday.

A better picture of who is and who isn’t playing HS football this week.

This comes out on a day where Colorado high schools are set to protest CHSAA’s decision to not reverse the decision for a fall season. https://t.co/mxGiXmUyK8
— Taylor Brooks (@TaylorBrooksTV) September 11, 2020

“I think there is a window. The window is still open for the additional fall sports that had been talked about; football, field hockey for women,” Polis said. “Not every district is ready to do those but many are. There’s still a window to figure that out.”

Polis also said “what I do think is that the school districts should have the option of having football and, if appropriate, women’s field hockey in the A-season or C-season.”

As in-person learning is slowly beginning across the state, some schools have already switched back to full remote learning. Two elementary schools in Greeley allowing in-person learning have closed and gone remote due to a large number of absences. Westminster High announced switching to full remote learning after 254 students have been quarantined.

“I think that our superintendents across our state, our school districts, the Department of Education are deeply committed to making sure that students are able to return as soon as possible to safe, in-school learning that is occurring in most districts already,” Polis said. “I think in the remaining districts will be happening over the next few weeks.”