Montana and Billings were among many school districts that lifted their mask mandates over the past week. After two years of having to wear masks in school – in the classroom and on the playground– the happy, jubilant faces of children were visible this week going to school and playing on playgrounds.
After first saying the district would not require masks at the beginning of the school year, School District 2 Superintendent Greg Upham suddenly did an about face and mandated that all students and teachers must wear masks, despite the protests of teachers and parents. That mandate was lifted as of Monday, February 14.
Most other school districts in the county did not require mandates.
Bozeman schools also lifted their mandates this week, as did Montana State University. The Commissioners of High Education in Montana recommended on Friday that colleges begin phasing out their mask mandates.
Great Falls Schools lifted mask mandates on Dec. 21.
While the number of children not wearing masks indicates that the lifting of the mandate is quite popular there are reports that some “experts” claim it is too soon to do so. A spokesperson for Northwestern University said the “decisions seem to be much more political, much more based on feelings,” than data.
However, a court case is pending against School District 2 in Billings in which plaintiffs point out that the data shows that there are more COVID-19 cases in the schools with mandated masks than those who did not mandate mask wearing. The case sought the lifting of the mask mandate, and will continue because plaintiffs are seeking removal of the authority of the Superintendent to impose such mandates.
Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Nevada are among other states where schools are lifting mask mandates in schools.
