The drumbeat against the mandate at school board public comment sessions has been getting louder in recent weeks as other districts drop their facial covering rules.
Upset parents have accused the board of hurting children and creating barriers to learning. In one case, the board was rebuked "in the name of the Lord God Almighty."
Others have praised the decision-makers for "sticking to the science" and protecting students, teachers, and staff during an unprecedented public health crisis.
But the policy driving the contentious meetings appears near its expiration date, as Fayette Superintendent Demetrus Liggins indicated to parents Tuesday the he is on the cusp of removing the mandate.
We’re all waiting on pins and needles for the guidance to say it’s safe to go mask optional for everyone who feels comfortable doing so. At this time, our partners with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department are still telling us that it’s not safe to do so.Fayette Superintendent Demetrus Liggins
For now, the district remains in the CDC’s red column, designating a high community level of COVID. And Fayette Health Department spokesperson Kevin Hall says local health experts have been in close contact with school officials.
"We continue to talk with the school system on a regular basis," Hall told WUKY. "It's daily phone calls, emails."
Liggins has said the district can go mask optional as soon as Lexington moves to the CDC’s yellow or medium designation — a classification that includes a 7-day total of new cases below 200 per 100,000 people.
As of Tuesday, that number stands at 203.
Read Superintendent Liggins' full note to parents below.
We’re so close!
In our meeting with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department this morning we learned that Fayette County is on the cusp of moving into the medium category of COVID-19 community levels.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looks at total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, and the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients to determine our community level. Our current numbers are:
- Case numbers: 203
- Hospital admissions: 19.1
- Hospital occupancy rates: 8.6%
That data keeps Fayette County in the high risk category where schools are advised to continue layered prevention strategies including universal masking for all students and staff in schools and on buses.
If our case count were 199 or lower, our other measures would place us in the medium level where schools do not need to implement universal masking in schools or on buses. We’re all waiting on pins and needles for the guidance to say it’s safe to go mask optional for everyone who feels comfortable doing so.
At this time, our partners with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department are still telling us that it’s not safe to do so. I am in daily communication with Health Commissioner Dr. Joel McCullough to be sure we have the most current data and information available. I am grateful for his close collaboration and willingness to go above and beyond to keep us up-to-date and help us make decisions for our students and employees.
I look forward to the day I can share the good news that our community levels indicate we lift our restrictions.
Please be well and take care of each other, DL
