‘Either way is OK.’ Fayette County schools, buses will go mask optional Tuesday

After months under a mandate, face masks will become optional in all Fayette district facilities and on school buses beginning Tuesday, March 15, Superintendent Demetrus Liggins said Monday.

The district will also lift all COVID-19 restrictions on school visitors and volunteers beginning Monday, March 21.

According to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, the COVID-19 levels in the community have reached the point where schools can ease some of their existing requirements and follow the CDC guidance for a community level of medium.

“Today’s announcement means masking is now optional – if your child wears a mask to school tomorrow, that’s great, and if your child does not wear a mask to school tomorrow, that’s fine too. Either way is OK,” Liggins said.

“Some members of our FCPS community will celebrate this milestone as a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic and a sign that we are moving closer toward normalcy. For others, this policy change may bring uncertainty or concern. We understand that comfort levels on mask-wearing will vary throughout the community,” Liggins said in a Monday message to families.

In an interview, Liggins said he anticipates that many students will choose to wear masks, but “we will have a whole lot that don’t.”

He said some students will see their teachers’ faces for the first time.

Liggins said families should encourage students to respect the choices of their classmates and the adults in their school and that the district will launch a campaign encouraging everyone to choose kindness in every interaction and remember that “either way is OK.”

Lexington-Fayette Commissioner of Health Dr. Joel McCullough said Monday night that the numbers for Lexington-Fayette County’s COVID-19 have significantly changed since last week, and department officials are looking at the totality of the data for the community.

All but one of the CDC’s metrics show Fayette County out of the high category, and the one metric (new COVID-19 hospital admissions) is very close to the cutoff for the medium category to support Fayette County Public Schools’ mask-optional policy as part of a layered protection strategy, McCullough said.

“We continue to support anyone who wishes to wear a mask in public indoor settings, particularly those who are at a higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19,” McCullough said. “It is also important to get the COVID-19 vaccine and to complete the full series, including the booster.”

The CDC gauges community risk for COVID-19 on total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, and the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Fayette’s current data includes: Case numbers: 33.42; Hospital admissions: 20.5; Hospital occupancy rates: 8.6%., district officials said.

Case numbers and hospital occupancy rates in Fayette County fall within the medium classification. Hospital admissions are slightly above the medium threshold of 19.9. After looking at multiple other community factors, McCullough told Liggins that he supported the district shifting to a mask-optional policy as part of a layered prevention strategy.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Fayette school officials have looked to national, state and local health experts, and adjusted its response as appropriate based on new data and updated science to safeguard our students, employees, and community, Liggins said.

Liggins said he had heard from families and teachers on both sides -- those that want masks to be optional on campus and those who don’t. Both have legitimate reasons, he said.

Todd Burus, a parent and leader in the Facebook group Fayette County Kids Matter, said, “We are glad that this day has finally come. Our kids have been through a lot over the last two years, and this is one more step in returning them to normal.”

Liggins said he will continue to work with health department officials to monitor cases. The district will continue to maintain a COVID-19 database and students and staff must still report their case if they are positive.

The district will continue precautionary measures including enhanced cleaning protocols, frequent handwashing, physical distancing when possible, and extensive air-quality improvements.

Students and employees should continue the practice of staying home if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 and reporting positive cases to the district hotline at 859-381-FCPS (3277). Those who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to stay home for five days. On day six, individuals who have been symptom-free for 24 hours without the use of symptom-reducing medication may return to work or school provided they wear a mask for five days.

Liggins said every family should weigh their personal circumstances before making a decision that meets their needs.

Most school districts in Kentucky are now mask optional.

“Fayette County is a wonderful community that embraces and respects differences. Masking should now become just another one of those things that we accept about one another,” Liggins said.

This story was originally published March 14, 2022 at 6:35 PM.