Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Students' masks, staff vaccinations required for fall
Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal
OLYMPIA - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal threatened funding for schools not following COVID vaccination and mask mandates.
Reykdal filed an emergency rule on Aug. 25 listing penalties for districts ignoring the state mandates of students wearing masks in school and district employees being vaccinated.
The new order gives districts time to come into compliance if they are found in violation of the mandates. Districts failing compliance will get two notices and 20 days to meet the state mandates. If the district fails, funding can be withheld, according to Katy Payne, spokesperson for Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
"These safety measures work, and they are not at the discretion of local school boards or superintendents," stated Reykdal in a notice sent to school districts.
The emergency rule is already in effect.
The state mandated everyone to wear masks indoors on Aug. 23. An earlier mandate requires students to wear masks in schools.
School employees are required to be vaccinated for COVID by Oct. 18.
Washington joins Oregon and California to require masks for students in school.
Bill Stevenson is the former editor of the Whitman County Gazette, Colfax Daily Bulletin and Franklin Connection. He has nearly 30 years of journalism experience covering news in Eastern Washington.
Reader Comments(0)