Mountain Brook Schools To Require Masks Indoors To Start Year

MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL — With the 2021-22 school year just days away, and COVID-19 cases increasing exponentially in Jefferson County, Mountain Brook Schools announced that face coverings will be required for all students and staff while indoors at all schools.

The Alabama Department of Public Health released its “Back to School Guidance” on Monday. This document contains guidance for schools and details regarding positive cases, quarantine guidelines, masking and distancing when indoors.

Superintendent Dicky Barlow said he and other school leaders met with health officials from the Jefferson County Health Department who provided updates on the impact of COVID in the metro area.

“We believe that public health officials should direct school and community initiatives impacted by public health concerns,” Barlow said. “In fact, we communicated this message to Governor Ivey in collaboration with other school superintendents from around the state.It is clear that our health officials strongly recommend that schools require masks and social distancing to open schools safely. Therefore, Mountain Brook Schools will begin the 2021-22 school year requiring facial coverings for all while inside our schools.”

Masks will only be required while indoors, under the reopening plan. At this time, all school activities and events will be occurring as scheduled across all campuses.

“School leaders are charged with developing plans that support a safe environment so all can stay in school,” Barlow said. “We will establish plans that focus on keeping students and staff safe in school, and in turn, minimizing positive and quarantine cases while being responsive to the ever-changing situation in Mountain Brook and the surrounding area. We understand that Mountain Brook community members are connected to other communities through their businesses, professional roles and personal responsibilities. We will continue to consult with public health officials as we make informed and responsive decisions.”

Numerous concerned parents in the Mountain Brook community have already expressed their opposition to wearing masks, or having their kids wear masks. And as the coronavirus pandemic remains a political issue as much as a public health issue, Barlow said the decision to require masks to begin the school year was not politically motivated.

“While we understand that members of our community may disagree on the best course of action, we are committed to doing everything we can to give the Mountain Brook community the best chance of a consistent school year, where students can engage with teachers in their classrooms,” Barlow said. “However, we respect that every family must make decisions that are best suited for their individual needs. To that end, we will be offering instructional options to help families choose the route that best meets their needs. To be very clear, these decisions are not determined by petitions, popularity, or political leanings. These decisions are made solely on the recommendations and consultations with our public health officials who are trained and have the expertise to make such recommendations.”

Barlow added, “No one wants a normal school year more than the people at Mountain Brook Schools. We have worked tirelessly for a year and a half to provide options for our community during the most challenging situations in recent history. We are committed to the learning and activities that have always made our schools positive places for students and parents. While no situation is perfect, we believe in our community, its resilience, and its steadfast belief that children benefit from being in school. That is our goal. Please join me in making this school year the best it can possibly be.”

As of Wednesday, hospitalizations for COVID-19 in Jefferson County had more than tripled in Birmingham-area hospitals since the beginning of July, and Alabama is now home to the highest COVID-positivity rate in the nation, and lowest vaccination rate in the nation.

Hospitals across Alabama have experienced a massive increase in coronavirus cases over the last few weeks with 97 percent of Alabama's hospitalized COVID patients being unvaccinated.

UAB Hospital is currently caring for 80 patients with active COVID infection and 17 COVID- convalesced patients and 60 percent of COVID patients in the critical care unit on ventilators. This is the highest number of coronavirus patients UAB has treated since the winter surge in February 2021.

"The bottom line is we are back to square one with this pandemic," said Dr. Sarah Nafziger, vice president of UAB Hospital Clinical Support Services. "The Delta variant is more transmissible, and Alabama's vaccination rates are very low. When you put these two things together, it's like pouring fuel onto a fire, and that is why we are experiencing widespread transmission again. If we had 80 percent of people vaccinated, it would be a different situation; but the reality is that the key to getting out of this pandemic is to start social distancing again, wear your mask and get vaccinated."