<p>The Sampson County Board of Education voted recently 4 to 3 to return to masking, with the goal of keeping students in school.</p>
                                 <p>Emily M. Williams | Sampson Independent</p>

The Sampson County Board of Education voted recently 4 to 3 to return to masking, with the goal of keeping students in school.

Emily M. Williams | Sampson Independent

CLINTON — Sampson County Schools may all be back into the classroom as of the first of next week, now that masking has returned to the classrooms, and students will find it easier to get back onto campus thanks to changes in protocol.

Since the return in January from winter break numerous schools in Sampson County were making calls to close campuses and return to virtual learning in hopes to slow the spread of COVID-19. These continual campus closures due to staffing issues tipped the scales in favor of masking.

The Sampson County Board of Education voted 4-to-3 to return to masking to keep students in school.

Another step that will continue to work towards keeping kids in class comes from reducing the complications of returning after being out. Effective Jan. 19, letters from the Sampson County health department for SCS staff and students to return to school after COVID isolation or quarantine will no longer be needed if it has been at least 5 days after the first day of symptoms, 24 hours have passed without a fever without fever reducing medication and other symptoms of COVID are improving.

Individuals are not required to have documentation of a negative test in order to return to school; however, individuals must continue to wear a mask for an additional 5 days after the first day of symptoms to minimize the risk of infecting others.

Individuals should contact their school with questions about their return to school date.

“The board is committed to providing an in-person learning and work environment that is as safe as reasonably possible during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the approved policy reads. “The board recognizes that the use of face coverings helps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and limit the need for quarantining. The board also recognizes that the Centers for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services recommend the use of face coverings in schools.

“Therefore, as part of its layered mitigation strategy to lower the risk of COVID-19 exposure and spread, the board requires face coverings to be worn by all students, employees, and visitors present on school campus during the 2021-2022 school year in accordance with this policy.”

A motion to accept Option A — masks required — was made by Sonya Powell and seconded by Eleanor Bradshaw. Bradshaw, Powell, Glenn Faison and Darryl Warren voted for the change. Sandra Carroll, Kim Schmidlin and Robert Burley voted against returning to face coverings. The board has regularly split one way or the other on the issue.

Back in August, Superintendent Dr. David Goodin warned that not masking was going to have an impact as far as quarantining is concerned.

“Optional mask wearing in schools is going to hit us and have the most impact on us with the quarantine piece,” Goodin had stated.

In August, the required quarantine time was 14 days which has now been shortened to 5 days. An example given was that they had one student test positive in one of their summer school programs, causing 30 students to have to go home and quarantine.

“That’s the issue,” Goodin had explained. “If we mandate masks, and everybody is wearing a face mask, then we don’t have to quarantine.”

“From my position, all I really care about is keeping our kids in school,” said Goodin.

Returning to masks seems to be pushing things in that direction, as in just a few weeks ago the close contacts were pushing over 330 cases, with this week only having a peak of 100.

As of Jan. 13, the school district’s cases are broken down by positive cases and close contacts. On Monday, Jan. 10, there were 61 positive cases, peaking through the week at 66 on Jan. 12. Close contacts is where the larger concern is, as the high for close contacts was 332 on Jan. 10. These numbers can be viewed at www.sampson.k12.nc.us/Page/10838.

When classes came back in August, there was the expected slight uptick of positive cases, hitting a peak of 24 cases on Aug. 30. On Aug. 31, the close contacts topped out at 87 cases. On Jan. 18 positive cases topped out at 45 for the week.

As Goodin previously expressed, the issue of wearing masks in the classroom has been highly polarized, and people are going to be upset either way.

“There really is no win for the board. Either way you go, people are still going to complain,” he had said.

Schmidlin expressed that she didn’t feel a return to masking was helpful.

“As a speech language pathologist I am concerned about the effects of masking for our children. There are significant negative consequences for students”

Schmidlin said that she hasn’t found a conclusive study that masking works as an effective “mitigating strategy,” citing the need for a “cost to benefit analysis on such a significant mandate.”

Masking rules

According to the approved masking, all individuals, including students, employees, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear face coverings at all times while inside of school buildings or on school transportation vehicles, including school buses, vans, and other group school transportation. Generally, individuals are not required to wear face coverings while outdoors or while in personal vehicles on school grounds. However, masks must be worn in crowded outdoor settings or during activities that involve sustained close contact with other people.

Exemptions include children under two years of age; individuals who should not wear a face covering due to a medical or behavioral condition or disability (including, but not limited to, any person who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious or incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to put on or remove the face covering without assistance); and children who are unable to wear the face covering safely.

Exempted situations include when seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing-impaired in a way that requires the mouth to be visible; when giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience if at least 20 feet away from the audience; temporarily removing the face covering to secure medical services or for identification purposes; when wearing a face covering at work would put the individual at risk, as determined by local, state, or federal regulations or workplace safety guidelines; if the face covering would impede visibility while operating equipment or a vehicle; while sleeping, swimming, or playing in water; and while actively eating or drinking.

“Because face coverings cannot be worn consistently during mealtimes, students should maintain physical distancing of a minimum of three feet to the fullest extent possible when actively eating. Principals are encouraged to arrange for students to eat meals outdoors if possible.

Face coverings may be either disposable masks (also called surgical masks or medical procedure masks) made of multiple layers of non-woven material or cloth masks made of at least two layers of tightly-woven, washable, breathable fabric. For better fit and extra protection, a disposable mask may be worn underneath a cloth mask. Two disposable masks should not be worn together. Face shields, masks with exhalation valves or vents, single layer masks or masks made of thin fabric that don’t block light, scarves, ski masks, bandannas, and turtleneck collars do not qualify as face coverings for purposes of this policy.”

At least once a month the board will review this policy and consider the need for modifications. The board will vote to approve this policy, with any necessary modifications, at a regularly scheduled board meeting.

School closing information can be found at www.sampson.k12.nc.us/Page/10844.

Reach Emily M. Williams at 910-590-9488. Follow her on Twitter at @NCNewsWriter. Follow us on Twitter at @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.