EAGLE COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Eagle County Schools is requiring masks for all students, staff members and visitors in buildings with pre-K through 8th-grade students beginning Monday, Aug. 16., according to the school district’s website.
Following this move, law enforcement will be present on the first day of school, hoping to ease tensions after district leaders have heard from community members on both sides of the mask issue.
The Eagle County Schools superintendent said three people have lost their lives due to COVID recently. Therefore, in a meeting Friday night, the school board voted for a mask mandate.
The district did apologize for the late notice.
The statement from Eagle County Schools said, in part:
“Public input is valued and helps inform leaders of community expectations. Some will not agree
Philip Qualman, superintendent
with this change and may wish to express their feelings publicly. The district asks that protests be directed at locations other than schools. It is imperative that schools begin on Monday without
disruption or additional emotional stress on students and staff. Please help us reduce the stress n
schools by directing concerns to either Public Health officials who originated the orders, or
ECSD officials who complied with the orders. Please allow schools to open without additional
stressors that only serve to compound and prolong the social/emotional impact on our children.
Eagle County Schools joins Jefferson County Schools, Cherry Creek Schools and others mandating masks for younger students.
Denver Public Schools has a district-wide requirement.
