'Public health obligation': Amid COVID crush, West Ada School District mandates masks

Sep. 9—The West Ada School District will temporarily require masks in the classroom for all students and staff, regardless of whether they submitted opt-out forms available at the start of the year, the superintendent announced Wednesday evening.

The new policy, which takes effect Friday, comes as COVID-19 cases soar across Idaho, hitting record numbers, putting hospitals in dire situations, and forcing some schools to shut down temporarily and others to reconsider their mitigation measures.

During a West Ada board meeting Wednesday, Superintendent Derek Bub said the coronavirus delta variant was wreaking havoc on the state.

Entering the school year, Bub said the district's goal was to keep students in class, in person, every day. The pandemic's ongoing toll made it necessary to review the district's policy quickly, he said.

"As one of the largest organizations in the Treasure Valley, as well as state, we believe that we have a public health obligation," Bub said. "Implementing a mask requirement for students and staff is one way that West Ada can make a positive contribution to the community."

Under the new policy, which will last through at least Friday, Sept. 24, masks are required in the classroom and when social distancing is not possible. The district — the state's largest, with roughly 40,000 students — will review the policy in about two weeks and decide whether the opt-outs can be restored, Bub said.

"While we are not convinced that this will solve the COVID-19 pandemic, as leaders, we feel obligated to do our part," Bub said. "We are committed to working with our families, students and staff to keep schools open while prioritizing the health of our school communities."

The policy change comes just two weeks after the district held a more than five-hour board meeting, at which trustees passed a soft mask mandate, giving parents the option to excuse their children from wearing one. A little more than 30% of students were opted out of the face-covering rule.

The same policy, though, gave the superintendent the authority to make certain operational decisions should they become necessary, including putting a hard mask mandate into place.

During Wednesday evening's meeting, several board members said they supported the strict mandate, saying it was needed as COVID-19 numbers continue to soar in Ada County and the Treasure Valley.

According to the most recent data from the West Ada School District, it had 155 active cases from Aug. 26 to Sept. 8 — 139 students and 16 staff members. Hundreds of people are also quarantining.

The new directive also states that student-athletes, band members and everyone involved in both indoor and outdoor extracurricular activities, including coaches, should social distance as much as possible. Those students are encouraged, but not required, to wear a face covering when engaging in sports and physical activity.

A group of parents who support mask-optional policies attended the meeting, many wearing yellow to show their position.

After the board meeting, David Binetti, who started the West Ada Parents Association and has been advocating for mask-optional school, said the update was not unexpected, but called it disappointing. He mentioned that the mandate doesn't apply to sports, making it seem disingenuous. Education should be the top priority, he said.

Mask mandates have been a point of controversy for months in the district.

The West Ada in-school mask policy falls in line with the Boise and Caldwell school districts, which both have required them in school to try to prevent the spread of the virus.

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