A growing number of educational institutions throughout Wisconsin are moving to ditch mask mandates that have been placed on students for roughly two years.
West Allis-West Milwaukee School District voted on Monday to remove a mask mandate for students, instead of making the face coverings optional.
Additionally, Madison Metropolitan School District, one of the state’s largest districts, will begin a “phase” approach to reducing regulations. Beginning March 1, masks will be “recommended but not mandatory while outdoors for all grade levels.” The district’s superintendent pledged to deliver a decision on indoor mask mandates “no later than April 15, 2022.”
The University of Wisconsin system will lift its mandate for students and faculty at its various campuses across the state in the coming weeks,
“Wisconsin has one of the fastest rates of coronavirus decline in the country,” University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson said. “While we will continue to take prudent prevention measures when warranted, restrictions can be lifted as case counts drop. Further, vaccinations and boosters are readily available to combat the virus that is much less severe for people who take this individual responsibility to protect themselves and others.”
While many educational institutions in the state have removed the restriction, Milwaukee Public Schools has remained hesitant to lift the restriction. The district is also facing a push from lawmakers to dissolve the system into smaller ones.
“I refuse to accept more of the status quo from the education establishment that continues to fail Milwaukee’s children. Milwaukee’s failures have gone on for way too long. It’s time to take action and do the one thing people have talked about for years but never had the backbone to do. But this is for children. That’s why as governor, I will break up the Milwaukee Public School District and form smaller school districts that will better serve our kids,” gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch said of the proposal.
– – –
Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Wisconsin Daily Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
