School board blocks proposal to delay Franklin school start over COVID cases
A proposal before the Franklin County Schools board to delay the opening of school by two weeks over a surge in coronavirus cases failed Friday.
That’s because there was a tie vote on the school board and approval would have taken a majority vote. School board members said parents and staff were prepared to move ahead with opening school.
After the vote, Franklin Superintendent Mark Kopp said schools would resume in-person classes Aug. 12 with students wearing masks.
The agenda for the 2 p.m. meeting explained the initiative: “Due to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in our county, we are recommending adopting a variable school calendar to begin the year on August 25, with the hope the numbers will decrease,”
Central Kentucky school districts continue to decide whether students will be required to wear masks and whether to delay school.
WFPL News reported that nearly two-thirds of Kentucky school districts are not requiring masks for the upcoming school year.
As of the first day of school in Scott County on Aug. 18, all students, staff members, and visitors to Scott County Schools will be required to wear a mask inside school buildings and on the school bus. That includes students in preschool through grade 12.
In Paris Independent Schools and Fayette County, all students and staff are required to wear a mask on buses and inside buildings when students are present.
Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass said despite an increase in COVID-19 cases as classes begin, he expects Kentucky schools to be open for in-person learning.
He said school districts know what mitigation procedures to use. The state is recommending that students wear masks.
Glass said for there to be a statewide mask mandate for schools, the Kentucky Board of Education would have to promulgate an emergency regulation or the governor would need to enact an executive order requiring them.
Jessamine, Woodford. Mercer, Madison and Bath school district officials are among those who have announced that masks are recommended but not required when classes begin.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 10:04 AM.