Richland 2 schools now require all students and employees to wear masks
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COVID-19 mask news in Midlands schools
Curious to learn what local schools are doing about face masks as COVID-19 rises in South Carolina? Here’s a roundup of the latest updates from elementary schools to universities around the state.
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The Richland 2 school district will require all students and employees to wear masks starting Thursday, according to a news release.
The decision follows a federal court’s injunction against a one-year state law that bans school districts from requiring masks in classrooms. S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said Wednesday schools are now allowed to require masks.
The court ruled that banning mask mandates discriminates against students with disabilities because banning mask mandates makes it unsafe for some children to attend school.
S.C.’s Supreme Court has yet to rule on a lawsuit Richland 2 filed earlier this year, which also challenged the one-year law banning mask mandates.
The fight isn’t over, as South Carolina’s top prosecutor has said he will appeal the federal court decision, The State reported previously.
Richland 2, in northeast Richland County, noted the mask requirement is consistent with advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
This story was originally published September 29, 2021 at 4:20 PM.