By BETH ZUMWALT
Both Winchester and Bluffs passed a back-to-school plan requiring masks to be worn by students and staff. The move was in response to Gov. J. B. Pritzger’s Aug. 4 decree that schools mandate masks.
Kevin Blankenship, superintendent of both districts, said he is working on a way to enforce the mandate, saying both boards left that up to him.
“I”m waiting on direction from the State Superintendent of Schools,” Blankenship said. “Blatant disregard will not be tolerated. Our jobs is to enforce school rules and the mask mandate is a school rule. We are doing our job, which is educating the students. Let us do our job.”
Blankenship said they are asking for the parents support in the matter and hopes there are no problems with the masks that will take the focus off the educational process, but said if there was, they would be dealt with appropriately.”
He said he had not heard of any parents homeschooling their children to avoid being masked.
“But that is certainly an option,” he said.
