Aug. 17, 2021 3:05p
(WGTD)---Wearing a mask to guard against COVID is no longer optional in Racine Unified.
Superintendent Eric Gallien announced Monday night that the wearing of face coverings—when inside school buildings—is now mandatory because of the new surge in cases. The district's new policy follows the recommendations of local, state and federal health authorities.
The announcement came shortly before the school board voted six to three to continue to cede most COVID-related decision-making to the superintendent. Supporters said they believed the district’s chief executive should retain those powers, then be judged during his annual evaluation on whether he used them effectively.
Board member Ali Docksey disagreed, complaining that shifting policies and the lack of gating criteria made the district look inconsistent. Superintendent Gallien defending the administration's handling of COVID. "What we have been trying to be consistent with is our messaging--that we follow the data and we make decisions around that is available to us at the time," he said.
Docksey said she believes the administration has too much control over COVID mitigation policy. "That is a problem from the public point of view from the people I spoke with," she said.
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