With the delta variant driving coronavirus cases up across the country, state and school district officials are faced with the decision of whether to impose a mask mandate as students go back to school.
The debate in many states has become continuous. Major school districts in states that have banned masks in schools have implemented their own mask mandates and are threatening to take their fight for face coverings to court, if necessary.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has fired back at school districts implementing mask mandates and has threatened to withhold the salaries of school leaders.
“At no point shall I allow my decision to be influenced by a threat to my paycheck; a small price to pay considering the gravity of this issue and the potential impact to the health and well-being of our students and dedicated employees,” said Alberto Carvalho, the superintendent of the state’s largest school district who is still deciding on a mandate ahead of the start of school later this month.
Other state leaders are allowing individual school districts to decide what they want to do.
As students head back into schools, here is where the states stand on mandates:
States | Status of school mask mandate |
---|---|
Alabama | No mandate |
Alaska | No mandate |
Arizona | Ban on mask mandates |
Arkansas | Recommended statewide |
California | Recommended statewide |
Colorado | No mandate |
Connecticut | Recommended statewide |
Delaware | No mandate |
Florida | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Georgia | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Hawaii | Mandated statewide |
Idaho | Recommended statewide |
Illinois | Recommended in some counties |
Indiana | Recommended in some counties |
Iowa | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Kansas | Recommended in some counties |
Kentucky | Recommended in some counties |
Louisiana | Mandated statewide |
Maine | Recommended in some counties |
Maryland | No mandate |
Massachusetts | No mandate |
Michigan | Recommended in some counties |
Minnesota | Recommended in some counties |
Mississippi | Recommended statewide |
Missouri | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Montana | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Nebraska | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Nevada | Mandated in some counties |
New Hampshire | No mandate |
New Jersey | Recommended statewide |
New Mexico | Recommended statewide |
New York | Recommended statewide |
North Carolina | Recommended in some counties |
North Dakota | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Ohio | No mandate |
Oklahoma | No mandate |
Oregon | Recommended statewide |
Pennsylvania | Recommended in some counties |
Rhode Island | No mandate |
South Carolina | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
South Dakota | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Tennessee | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Texas | Rejection or ban on mask mandates |
Utah | No mandate |
Vermont | No mandate |
Virginia | Recommended in some counties |
Washington | Recommended in some counties |
West Virginia | No mandate |
Wisconsin | No mandate |
Wyoming | Recommended in some counties |
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