CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Clayton County students no longer have to follow a district mask mandate.
The district announced Wednesday that it's ending its coronavirus-era policy at schools, on school buses and in district administrative and support facilities for students and employees. The change goes into effect Thursday.
Clayton County Public Schools lifted its mask mandate in the wake of the recently passed Unmask Georgia Students Act, which was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp Tuesday.
The new law prevents local school superintendents from making or enforcing any face-covering rules in any area of a public school campus or property owned or operated by the school system. Georgia's law also makes mask-wearing optional in school facilities and at the discretion of parents and guardians.
"We will adhere to the stipulation of this law," CCPS Superintendent Dr. Morcease J. Beasley said in a news release.
Beasley added that parents and guardians still have the option to send their children to school if they wish as do employees of the district.
"It is important to note that we remain very concerned regarding the vaccination rate in Clayton County, which at last report stands at 46% of residents receiving two doses of the vaccine," he said.
The superintendent said district leaders will continue to monitor COVID-19 data from local, state, and federal health agencies and keep up with current cleaning and sanitizing protocols.
"We encourage everyone to get vaccinated," Beasley said.