Charleston County School District exempted more than 600 people from their mask mandate, 24 students switched to virtual learning

Charleston, South Carolina – The Charleston County School District mask mandate has been a hot topic in the last couple of weeks in the Charleston County area and it was followed by court challenge, protests and pressure from some parents, but the school district officials decided to enforce it anyway.

According to the recent announcement from the CCSD, a total of 610 people were exempted from the mask mandate and they were approved by the school district, not obligated to wear masks in schools.

Furthermore, a total of 24 students are not allowed to enter the schools and were sent home to virtual learning because their parents decided not to comply with the current mask mandate.

CCSD officials said the data they presented is the data taken from the district’s database from their schools.

“If there is a class where a student/students are out because they chose not to adhere to Policy ADD, they are learning virtually,” CCSD officials said. “Teachers have a device set up in the classroom that allows students to learn from home and see live teaching. Students actually in the classroom still participate in normal instruction.”

Initially, the mask mandate was announced last month and the School Board Chair Rev. Dr. Eric Mack said it’s mandatory for all students planned to last at least until October 15.

CCSD officials will meet again before October 15 to discuss the current Covid-19 situation in the county and will decide of they will keep in place the current mandate or they will make wearing masks optional.

“We simply cannot sit by and do nothing while those numbers continue to rise and increasing number of students are forced to quarantine because an unmasked person is seated beside them,” Mack said at the time.

Mack said the district planned to use reserve funds to pay for the salaries of those enforcing the mandate, avoiding having to use money from the state.