SDPC “strongly recommends” masks

PICKENS COUNTY — The School District of Pickens County stopped short of mandating masks for the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year and instead released a video to parents stating they “strongly recommend” them.

The move came after the district temporarily went virtual for a week following a dramatic COVID-19 spike in the first nine days of school.

“In a school setting, where social distancing is a challenge, masks are vital to the safety of our students and our staff,” the video statement read. “Our safety practices last year, which included the use of masks, led to being in school more than most of the schools in the Upstate of South Carolina.”

Although the district itself won’t mandate the face coverings, they did state on Thursday they would comply with any local municipality that did — which is exactly what the City of Clemson did the following day.

In an emergency-called meeting, Clemson City Council passed a mask mandate for “essential places” including public and private schools, daycares, preschools and all indoor essential places, i.e., grocery stores, doctor’s offices, etc.

Clemson’s ordinance states the city is able to require masks in schools, since the state’s current proviso does not mention municipalities, or municipal ordinances exercising this power.

SDPC officials responded that schools within the purview of the City of Clemson would adhere to the mandate and would require students and staff to mask-up at those locations.

The district also released updated safety protocols, including changing the six-week schedules to three-week ones.

“To protect our students and to make sure we have a healthy workforce, these three week windows/schedules will be updated every three weeks as we continue to monitor community outbreaks of the virus,” read an email from the district. “Knowing that we must have key personnel to operate school (including nurses, teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and School Resource Officers), it is vital for families to keep in mind that within any three week window, a school or grade level may revert to temporary virtual online learning if the well-being of students or employees is compromised.”

District officials said the move was their “best attempt” in scheduling a few weeks in advance — acknowledging what is the reality today, may not be the same in September.

As of Tuesday, the district reported 268 students have tested positive for COVID and another 717 are quarantined after probable exposure. Eighty staff members are in quarantine, 41 have tested positive.

R.C. Edwards Elementary had the most students test positive with 73, more than double the next highest — Pickens High — which had 30.

“We will attempt to provide as much in-person instruction as possible during each three week window/schedule,” they said. “However, the status of COVID-19 in our community may result in more temporary virtual learning.”