ROSEVILLE, Calif. — At a special meeting Monday night, the Roseville City School District Board of Education said the district updated its mask enforcement protocol, which went into effect Tuesday.
The board said students who do not wear a mask will not be excluded from school facilities, classrooms, activities or events.
"We have made the update because we feel enforcement protocols have negatively impacted our students' ability to reach their academic potential due to limited student engagement opportunities, exclusions from in-person learning, and sporadic attendance," the Roseville City School District Board of Education wrote in a letter to parents.
Students, staff and parents spoke at the meeting sharing differing viewpoints on mask policy and mask enforcement at schools in the district.
Students and parents referenced Roseville Joint Union High School District's (RJUHSD) recent decision to adopt a mask-optional policy.
A parent who said he had two kids attending Junction Elementary School said RCSD should follow RJUSD's policy.
"There's zero consistency with mask mandates. We are done trying to explain to our kids 'you don't have to wear them out and about to a Super Bowl, to friends' neighborhoods or have to wear them around town, but at school, you have to.' Even to a seven-year-old, that doesn't make sense," the parent said.
Some students who spoke at the meeting said they didn't want to wear masks in schools and others said wanted a choice.
Roseville Teachers Association President Lisa Shrider told the board she doesn't "want to have to be hiding behind masks either," but she also doesn't want to go against the state mandate requiring masks in schools.
"We respect the difficult situation you are in. We wish we could stand right with you in celebrating the end of the mask mandate, but unfortunately, we can't," Shrider said.
The state is expected to reassess the data and conditions on Feb. 28 and consider future changes to statewide school masking.
Deanna Ponseti, a teacher at Eich Middle School in RCSD, said she wants all her students to be able to be present in her class.
"We need a solution, I don't know what that is — that's up for you to decide. I know what I hope it is and I know the tough position that you guys are in. I need my admin staff to be able to do their job as admin. I need my counselors to be able to counsel students and offer support. Right now we're running like a triage unit with students protesting, disruptions to the class day, and it's really gotten, just crazy," Ponseti said.
Find more information about the RCSD's COVID-19 policies and procedures on the district website.
Watch the full public meeting HERE.
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