Billings, Montana – A controversial rule regarding the wearing of face masks in school was rescinded by a vote taken on Monday by the board of the Billings Public Schools.
However, when it was in effect at the height of the epidemic, this policy raised arguments and disagreements among parents.
While it was initially enacted in January of 2021, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Policy 1905 demanded that all school employees and students, with a few exceptions, be required to wear the masks.
A year ago, it was changed so that the superintendent would have the authority to decide whether or not face coverings would be mandatory.
After an outbreak of COVID-19 at Billings Skyview in August 2021, Superintendent Greg Upham mandated that students in all of Billings’ schools wear face masks. This occurred only a few days before the start of the new school year.
Upham decided to lift the mask requirement in February.
Some parents, who advocated for masks to be optional or not worn at all, said that giving the superintendent, who is not elected, full power on the subject took away what should have been the board’s role.
