NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Metro Nashville Public Schools students and teachers will no longer have to mask up after spring break. This comes as city and state health leaders announced significant declines in active COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
The vote came during a heated Board of Education meeting Tuesday with cheers, boos, and even a brief break as parents and board members went back and forth on the issue.
Some parents said they wish the mask requirement was dropped immediately, but they are still happy it's happening soon.
"All we are asking for is let parents make that important decision regarding a mask," parent Greg Hagen said.
Hagen came to the board meeting in favor of dropping the district's universal mask requirement for staff and students. His son is in 10th grade at Hume Fogg High School in Nashville.
"This is the first time I have come to any meeting or done anything other than vote," Hagen said.
During the meeting, MNPS director Adrienne Battle recommended dropping the requirement after Friday, March 11, and making masks optional for students following spring break. That recommendation drew cheers from the crowd.
However, the cheers quickly turned to boos when Battle said the recommendation depended on cases continuing to trend downward. Some even started yelling, and they made everyone clear the room for a few minutes so people could calm down.
"It got a little disorderly in the beginning," Hagen said.
After returning, the board debated the issue. Some student board members, who do not vote, spoke up to keep the mask requirement. The board ultimately voted in favor of the recommendation to drop the requirement, allowing masks to be optional after spring break.
Battle said they are going to continue monitoring cases, and they will take a look at case counts at their next board meeting on March 8, right before spring break.