Southwest Ohio school district defies state rules, pulls back mask requirements

“It seems blatantly illegal, but it’s also just poor judgment,” said DiMauro. “There is still significant spread of COVID.”

Superintendent Dean Lynch warned the board of the potential for negative reactions before Monday night’s vote.

He sent board members this letter:

Board member Jeremy Kaehler disagreed and voted in favor the policy change.

“What we’ve been hearing is, people are fed up,” he said. “They’re sick of the mask policy. We’ve had some people who have expressed concerns about their child’s health over the mask policy, parents who want their kids in school but don’t want their kids to be forced to wear a mask.”

Some families in the area backed him up.

“They’re always constantly thinking about that mask on their face, pushing it down,” said Jackie Blevins, who has 16 grandchildren in Blanchester schools. “And, you know, they’re pulling on it all the time. So, what good does it do?”

The OEA said the district should wait on the state to change guidelines.

“What problem are they trying to solve here?” said DiMauro. “We know that masks have worked to contain the spread of the virus throughout the year. We are getting closer to the end of the school year. This will be an opportunity to reassess the situation locally and state wide.”

Only one board member, Kathy Gephart, voted against the policy change. She said she would prefer to follow the medical community’s advice.

Here’s the district’s new policy in full: