Bath and Highland County Public Schools End Mask Mandate

January 24, 2022

Bath and Highland County public schools have both ended their masks mandates. Both counties released statements concerning their decision. I reached out to Bath County Superintendent of schools Mrs. Sue Hirsh for comment. Below are the statements from each school system and a link to the interview with Superintendent Hirsh.

The following statement is from the Bath County School Board:

On Saturday, January 22, 2022, the Bath County School Board voted, unanimously, to follow Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order Number Two and Order of Public Health Emergency One.  Beginning Monday, January 24, 2022 students, staff and visitors will not be required to wear masks in school facilities.  Masking will be optional. The federal mask requirement for public transportation is still in effect.  Students riding a school bus are still required to wear a mask when entering the bus, exiting the bus, and for the duration of the route. Following the latest CDC K-12 guidance, masks will still be required for students returning to school after quarantine or isolation for 5 days.

Highland County released the following statement:

Beginning on Monday January 24, 2022, masks will be recommended for the safety of all students, staff, and for the safety of the school. This is due to the high number of COVID cases in the county. However, based on the Governor’s order we will not be enforcing mask mandates inside the school. Due to Federal Law, masks will be required on all school buses. Staff and adults will be required to continue wearing masks while in the school building. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is the top priority of Highland County Public Schools.
Following the recommendation of the CDC and the VDH we have been able to keep our schools open for in person instruction with minimal number of positive cases and select quarantine. Without the masks Highland County Public Schools is concerned that a large number of students will need to be quarantined or will be infected with COVID. Highland County Public Schools would like to thank the parents for their help and understanding during these difficult times.
The full text of Executive Order Number 2 can be found by following this link.

Story By

Danny Cardwell

Danny is the Station Coordinator for WCHG, and the host of our gospel and country hours on Wednesdays 10:00 am to noon. He and his wife Renee Cardwell live with a spoiled dog (Toddie) in Hot Springs. Danny is a Deacon at Piney Grove Baptist Church in Hot Springs. He operates Thoughtwrestler.blogspot.com and is a site administrator and featured writer for the website Dagblog.com. He has been a frequent contributor to The Hal Ginsberg Morning Show, All Politics Are Local, and Politics Done Right. Danny has tutored, lectured, and mentored at risk youth in churches, group homes, and inside the Virginia Department Corrections. He serves on the board of directors for Preservation Bath and chairs the Bath Community Hospital Patient Advisory board. danny@amrmail.org
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