CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Clayton County students will be required to wear masks for the remainder of the school year on busses and inside all school facilities, according to the district.
Clayton County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Morcease J. Beasley made the announcement live on a YouTube stream Tuesday afternoon while providing an informational update on the district's policies and protocols.
"Our protocols will continue for the remainder of the school year. These protocols include masks. Yes, masks are required by all in all facilities and all school busses," Beasley said.
The decision comes on the heels of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest guidance regarding wearing masks, which now states facial coverings are no longer necessary on buses or vans that are operated by public or private school systems.
The CDC added more than 70% of the U.S. population resides in counties where the coronavirus is posing a low or medium threat to hospitals.
"Our district continues to adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines issued by local and state health officials, as well as protocols established by the district leadership," Beasley said.
Several metro Atlanta school districts have already eased their mask policies, deciding to drop their mandates and follow the CDC's lead. DeKalb County Schools, Atlanta Public Schools, and Gwinnett County schools have all strongly recommended that masks be worn within its facilities moving forward, rather than requiring that they be worn.
Beasley continued, saying part of the COVID protocol the school district is following requires all visitors to continue to use their app to be cleared for entrance into school facilities.
He said school district leaders will reassess their decision in the summer months, and communicate any changes to the following school year if there are any.
"All decisions relative to COVID-19 and district operations are being made always in the best interest of our students, our community, and, of course, to make sure we do our part to remain healthy as a community," he said.