‘Rolling The Dice’: Central Bucks Keeps Mask-Optional Policy

DOYLESTOWN, PA — At the end of another meeting filled with heated comments from parents and community members, the Central Bucks school board voted Wednesday to keep the district’s mask-optional policy in place for at least the first few days of the new school year.

The school board voted 5-4 against adopting new universal masking requirements in the Central Bucks School District, the third-largest in Pennsylvania, despite recommendations from county and state public health officials.

The Bucks County Health Department advocated throughout the summer for schools to have mask-optional policies but changed its stance last week after local hospital representatives voiced concerns about their ability to handle a surge in pediatric cases “of any type.”

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Acting Pennsylvania Health Secretary Allison Beam delivered a public rebuke to Bucks County officials earlier this week, saying their previous reopening guidance was “alarming” and “disregarded evidence-based public health practices.” Beam also warned officials that mask-optional policies could force schools to revert to virtual instruction due to increased coronavirus-case numbers.

The Central Bucks board heard from 30 parents Wednesday, with speakers split evenly on the mask-mandate issue. Some parents speaking against potential mask mandates likened them to child abuse and threatened to sue the school district if the board adopted stricter mitigations for students, Maddie Hanna of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

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Parents on the other side of the debate urged the board to take action to protect their children from the coronavirus, highlighting pediatric cases linked to the more contagious delta variant and the fact that children under 12 cannot yet receive a vaccine.

Board members spent several hours Wednesday night hearing about and discussing contract tracing, masking and quantitative metrics. Some members who eventually voted against the mask mandate showed they could be open to less restrictive mitigations, like requiring masks for students K-6 but not for students in grades 7-12, who are eligible to receive vaccines.

John Gamble, the board’s vice president, said he is relying on the Central Bucks administration to draft revisions to the district’s health and safety plan based on what members discussed Wednesday. But that plan must be “perfect” to get his vote, he said.

“I don’t want to vote on anything anymore other than the perfect plan, instead of just something to throw out there until the next meeting,” Gamble said. “We’re rolling the dice on two days; I get it. But at this point, I don’t want to vote for a plan unless it’s the perfect plan. I don’t want to settle, period.”

“I’m extremely disappointed,” Kelly Dejong, of Plumstead Township, told CBS3. “This board has been saying that they follow the guidance from the Bucks County Department of Health for months, and tonight they just voted against it.”

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Central Bucks board members are expected to evaluate the district's mask-optional policy again at their next meeting Tuesday, the second day of the new school year.

Gamble was joined Wednesday in voting against the mask mandate by Board President Dana Hunter and members Sharon Collopy, Daniel Ring and Leigh Vlasblom. Lorraine Sciuto-Ballasy, Karen Smith, Jodi Schwartz and Tracy Suits voted to adopt the stricter policy.