Mixed Feelings Among CMS Teachers One Day After County Commissioners Vote To Ditch The Mask Mandate

CHARLOTTE, NC. — In Darina Cooper’s second-grade classroom at Walter G. Byers, masks are sometimes referred to as chin straps.

“I can’t tell you how many times in a day that I have had to give this signal for them to cover their noses. And I always say if I had a dollar for every time I gave the signal we could go on a great vacation,” Cooper says.

She says masks are a distraction for her students. Especially since she teaches a lot of phonetics.

“So literally it’s an up-and-down thing with the masks all day long trying to get them to understand the words. That’s the struggle in the primary grades.”

Cooper is happy Mecklenburg County Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday night to end the mask mandate, effective February 26th. Not all teachers feel the same way. Including Steve Oreskovic. He wants to keep masks in schools and plans to continue masking up.

“Given the spaces that we have, the amount of students that we have, the lack of airflow that we still have, and a very contagious omicron, we’ve kept kids in school primarily because we’re doing what we’re doing now,” says Oreskovic.

School Board Member Rhonda Cheek tells WCCB:

“The school board agenda on 2/22 includes an action item about face covering/masks. I expect a robust discussion and am hopeful that we will amend our policy to align with the county and return to mask optional in our schools. I can only speak for myself, but I did watch the county meeting and do agree with Dr. Washington on all his recommendations.”

Some local private schools are already deciding to transition. Charlotte Country Day Schools sending a message to parents saying that starting February 28, masks will be optional for students, employees, and visitors.