Leechburg Area School Board lifts mask requirement for unvaccinated staff members

Unvaccinated Leechburg Area School District staff members will be able to choose whether to wear a mask in school buildings.

The Leechburg Area School Board voted 5-3 Wednesday night to rescind its mask requirement. Members chose between voting yes to lift the requirement or no to hold off on a vote until the next board meeting.

Voting to drop the mask mandate were school Directors Ashley Coudriet, Roxanne Thompson, Matthew Jagodrinski, Anthony Shea and Darius Lovelace. Board President Neill Brady and Directors Tom Maxin and Karen Freilino voted to hold off on making a decision. Director Candi Stewart was absent.

Superintendent Tiffany Nix said a mask requirement was approved in August, separate from the school’s health and safety plan.

Students — vaccinated or unvaccinated — were given the option to wear masks. Unvaccinated staff members were required to wear masks.

One staff member, Jesse Henry, let the board know how he felt about the requirement.

He argued that, if unvaccinated students were allowed to choose whether to wear masks, staff members should have that same choice.

“What difference does it make?” he asked.

Brady suggested holding off further discussion until the next meeting so the board could be more informed.

“I just want us to get further information on what other schools are doing,” Brady said.

Other board members were ready to take a vote Wednesday night.

Coudriet said she believes masks should be optional for staff members if they are for students.

Thompson echoed that thought.

“Employees not having an option is not right,” she said.