Richland County Council chair makes statement about masks in schools as COVID spikes
As the first day of classes gets closer, Richland County Council said it’s trying to decide if it should require masks be worn in schools — and other public areas — as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across South Carolina.
“Richland County is carefully monitoring the recent surge in coronavirus delta variant cases,” Richland County Council Chair Paul Livingston said Tuesday in a news release. “Our Emergency Services and Administration departments track daily COVID-19 numbers and monitor hospital activity so that the Administrator and Council can make fully informed decisions regarding the safety of the citizens of Richland County.”
In July 2020, Richland County Council adopted an emergency ordinance that required anyone over 10 years old to wear face coverings in most public places. The ordinance was extended five times before it expired June 5, 2021.
By the end of next week, almost all of South Carolina’s 760,000 public school students will be back in classes, according to the Associated Press. Aug. 18 is the first day of classes for all students in the Richland 1, Richland 2, and Lexington-Richland 5 school districts.
Now Richland County Council is trying to decide if students and faculty again should be required to wear masks in schools in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
“Any decision to require masks in (Richland County), in schools or otherwise, must be done prudently,” Livingston said. “I have been in touch with the school superintendents, the county administrator and the county attorney regarding this issue.”
There could be serious consequences for Richland County schools should county council issue a mask mandate.
In May, Gov. Henry McMaster blocked all school districts and local governments from requiring face coverings by issuing an executive order. In June, the state Legislature also adopted a proviso for the 2021-22 school year that prohibits schools from requiring masks be worn by students.
“The proviso threatens the districts with loss of state funding if they attempt to enact or enforce a facemask policy,” Livingston said. “The governor and the attorney general have stated publicly that they believe schools are prohibited from requiring face masks as a consequence of the proviso; thus, it is critical that the county proceed with caution to avoid unintended and potentially devastating financial consequences to the districts, while still ensuring the safety of its citizens.”
Other factors, like providing masks and being able to enforce any mandates, are also weighing on Livingston.
“I will continue to use all the resources at my disposal to make sure the Council is informed and ready to act prior to the start of the school year, as necessary,” Livingston said.
Richland County Council’s statement was issued a week after Columbia issued an emergency order requiring masks in schools.
On Aug. 5, Columbia City Council approved Mayor Steve Benjamin’s emergency order requiring masks in most Columbia schools as COVID-19 cases rise.
Under that emergency order, students between ages 2 and 14, along with faculty at 43 elementary and middle schools and day cares in the city limits, will be required to wear masks. Benjamin said the main focus of the action is to protect those children too young to get a COVID-19 vaccine, citing the rise in COVID-related respiratory illnesses.
Violators face a potential $100 city fine.
Benjamin said the state budget proviso doesn’t limit the city’s actions, and argued the state constitution empowers cities to take emergency measures such as the mask ordinance.
A legal showdown between Columbia and state officials is expected soon.
Attorney General Alan Wilson previously told the University of South Carolina it could be prohibited from requiring masks on its Columbia campus.
Most of the schools affected by Benjamin’s emergency order are in the Richland 1 school district.
Richland 1 previously said students and staff are no longer required to wear masks. But Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon suggested anyone who has not received a COVID-19 vaccine should continue wearing a face covering.
“While the mask requirement has been lifted for our students and staff, we want to note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) still recommend that persons who have not been fully vaccinated wear masks,” Witherspoon said in a statement. “We urge everyone age 12 and up to get vaccinated.”
The U.S. is experiencing a third wave of COVID cases during the pandemic because of the highly-contagious delta variant.
South Carolina has seen more than 643,000 (confirmed and probable) cases of the coronavirus and 9,981 deaths since the start of the pandemic. With 45% of the state’s population fully vaccinated, health officials are urging people to get the COVID vaccine to help limit the spread of the virus and to protect themselves.
Hospitals across the state report that a total of 8,741 inpatient beds are currently being used and are at 77.5% capacity, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Another 71.5% of the ICU beds are being used, nearly 27% of which are being taken up by COVID-19 patients.
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This story was originally published August 10, 2021 at 12:05 PM.
