Fisher: Masks will be worn in school buildings until public health officials recommend otherwise

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Charles City Superintendent of Schools Mike Fisher told the Charles City School District Board of Directors that he’s been getting the same question from people over and over again for the last couple months — How much longer will the school district require masks?

“We will keep our mask mandate until we hear otherwise from county health,” Fisher told the board. “We take our recommendations from county health, and right now they’re telling us we still need to have masks.”

Fisher said Floyd County Public Health takes its guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control, and he’s not going to go against them.

The biggest reason for that, right now, are the quarantine rules, he said.

Without masks, Fisher said, far more students and staff members have to be quarantined if they are close to someone who tests positive for COVID-19.

“If someone gets COVID and no one has masks on, everyone who came within a 6-foot radius of that person has to be quarantined,” Fisher said. “We’re not in hybrid anymore, so there’s less social distancing.”

Fisher said he’s hopeful, and that he sees a light at the end of the tunnel without masks.

“We know masks are frustrating. We certainly don’t love them,” Fisher said. “But they keep us open and keep us safe for now.”

Director Scott Dight said that there were other communities and school districts in the state that have paid a price for not following the mask guidelines.

“I don’t think we want to get to be like Iowa City, with as many quarantines and positive cases as they have down there,” Dight said. “The longer we can maintain a mask mandate, until more people get a vaccine, the better off we all are.”

Fisher said that the district continues to consult with public health officials regularly.

“Any time we have a big event, such as prom or graduation, or the plays and musicals, we consult with public health,” Fisher said. “We continue to rely on our medical experts for guidance.”

Director Pat Rottinghaus said that she had visited the high school recently and that she was “pleasantly surprised” at how well students, teachers and staff were complying with the mask guidelines.

Fisher said that he was pleased that COVID numbers in Charles City have remained low for the last couple of months.

“Things have been relatively stable,” Fisher said. “I think we’ve seen a little uptick in in the COVID rate, back up above 4%, but it’s been well below 5% for quite a while.”