Jefferson County Schools To Require Masks Through Oct. 1

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The Jefferson County school system began the school year with a "masks optional" policy, but the rise in COVID-19 cases in the county has prompted superintendent Walter Gonsoulin to issue a mask mandate for all students and staff starting Thursday.

Masks are now mandatory on all campuses during school hours, and will be required through at least Oct. 1.

"Our primary goal is to keep students safe and healthy," Gonsoulin said in a statement. "I am concerned with the growing number of students who are excluded from school."

In one week, the system saw its exclusion numbers jump from 3 percent to 10 percent.

"Universal masking will significantly reduce the number of students who are excluded from school due to exposure," Gonsoulin added. "Masks will mean more kids stay in class. Masks will mean more students continue learning from inside the school walls."

Gonsoulin said students and employees will be notified of possible exposure, but will not be excluded from school unless they become symptomatic.

COVID-19 positive and/or symptomatic exposed individuals must meet the following criteria before returning to school/work:

• Must be isolated for at least 10 days after symptoms first appear
• Must be fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications at the end of the 10 day period
• Improvement of all other symptoms

Jefferson County Schools joins Mountain Brook, Birmingham, Homewood, Trussville and Hoover school systems in requiring masks. Vestavia Hills remains one of the only systems where masks are still optional.

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