Kearney School District Considers Relaxing Mask Mandate

The Kearney School District announced Friday that it will consider relaxing the face covering policy over the next week, now that the CDC and Clay County Public Health Center have revised masking policies. For now, it seems no changes in school policies have been made.

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that people who have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus no longer need to wear masks while indoors or outdoors or physical distance in either large or small gatherings. On Friday, the City of Kansas City and the Clay County Public Health Center followed suit and relaxed its emergency orders that required face coverings indoors for vaccinated individuals.

The Kearney School District sent a notice on Friday to parents and posted on its website that district officials will be considering how relaxing the mask mandate will affect students, faculty and staff. The district has followed the guidance of the Clay County Public Health Center throughout the pandemic, and the health center has strongly recommended the use of face masks in schools for those who are not fully vaccinated.

“We are considering how the updated guidance impacts our own mitigation practices,” the district said in an announcement. “We plan to share more details about any changes we make next week.”

With only eight class days left in the school year, it is likely the district will continue to follow recommendations of the Clay County Public Health Center and keep the masks for the remainder of the year. Parents with concerns and feedback about the school district’s mask policies can voice their opinions by emailing communciations@ksdr1.net.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story