Pittsburgh Public Schools board approves mask mandate

Students in Pittsburgh Public Schools will have to continue wearing masks during the upcoming academic year, according to the district’s health and safety plan.

The plan — which requires masks indoors and keeps many covid-19 mitigation measures in place for the 2021-22 school year — was passed during Wednesday’s school board meeting.

“I think we have to look at our most vulnerable students and staff first, and do what’s in the best interest for them,” school board member Pam Harbin said during the meeting.

Under the plan, which is available on the district’s website, students and employees will be required to wear masks inside school buildings “with few exceptions.”

Masks will also be required on buses, said district spokeswoman Ebony Pugh.

There will be exceptions to the mask mandate under their resocialization of athletics plan, which allows students to remove masks while engaging in athletic activity. Student athletes still have to wear face coverings or face shields on the sidelines or when “otherwise not engaged in athletic activity.”

Coaches and adult personnel will still be required to wear face coverings unless engaging in athletic activities, like demonstrating drills. Vaccinated spectators will be permitted to enter without a mask, though unvaccinated spectators will still be required to wear one.

“Enhanced cleaning, social distancing, masking requirements and increased education on personal hygiene practices will continue to be implemented to keep our buildings open and operating safely,” the health and safety plan reads. “Pittsburgh Public Schools will also continue to monitor and contact trace, to quickly react to outbreaks should they occur.”

Cleaning and sanitizing protocols will remain in place.

Classrooms will be modified to permit three feet of social distancing between students and six feet between adults when feasible. Auxiliary areas may be used to accommodate students for lunch, where it is difficult to maintain social distancing.

The plan also calls for “cohorting” to be implemented “wherever possibly to limit exposure to large groups of students.”

Students and staff are not required to be tested for covid-19, but they are asked to use a daily symptom self-screener.

School officials in May announced their intentions to fully reopen for in-person learning for the upcoming school year.