Recent guidelines from Governor Kim Reynolds regarding masks in schools sparked a debate at Monday’s Perry School Board meeting.

Governor Reynolds recently released guidance in the event of a positive COVID-19 test at a school. If the individual who tests positive for COVID-19, and those identified through contact tracing, both wore a mask, only the individual who tested positive has to quarantine. Seven people spoke to the Board Monday, pleading to increase mask requirements. Over the last two weeks, there have been three positive cases in the District, leading to nearly 50 individuals having to be quarantined. 

Board Vice President Linda Andorf says the constituents she’s spoken with would feel more comfortable if masks were required by everyone, “Any contact that I’ve had, and I’ve had some with parents, I’ve had teachers, I’ve had kids, I’ve had grandparents; they have all said, ‘Please, we need to have this mandate so that we can bring the contagion down and we can keep kids in school.’”

Board member Casey Baldwin added that his experience with residents had leaned the other direction, “From the people that I hear (from,) whether that be texts, emails, or direct conversations, parents that have students, 46 are in favor of not doing mask (mandates) and eight in favor of doing mask (mandates) is what my count is. So, I’m very much skewed the opposite way.”

The Board will continue conversations on the topic during a special meeting Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at the District Administration Building in downtown Perry.