Doctors petition Greater Latrobe to reconsider mask-optional plan for schools

About a dozen local physicians have asked the Greater Latrobe School Board to switch to a mask requirement for the coming fall semester. Parents remain divided over the district’s existing policy to make their use optional.

Dr. Elizabeth Cutrell, a pediatrician with a practice in Unity who is the mother of a district second-grader and a preschooler, presented the board this week with a petition from local doctors asking the panel to reconsider the plan for when students return to classrooms.

“The goal we all have is for our children to be in school next year, as much as possible,” Dr. Cutrell said. “We need to be listening to data, not emotional testimony. The data shows, if everyone is masked, kids can stay in school.”

Citing updated covid-19 pandemic guidance for schools, she said, if two students both are wearing masks and are seated at least 3 feet apart, a covid diagnosis for one of the students would not require the other to be quarantined.

“That can make a huge difference this next year,” she said.

Dr. Cutrell’s remarks on Tuesday received applause from a portion of the audience attending the school board meeting. Others cheered comments from residents who support the district’s mask-optional stance.

Sarah Ditch, who has four children enrolled in grades K-6, encouraged the school board to “stay strong on what you guys have already decided on. There is an army of parents that back you.”

Ditch said a mask mandate would amount to “government overreach.” Instead, she said, “It is the parents’ decision.”

“If you want to mask up, go ahead,” said Shawn Lazeski, “but don’t put that on my kid.”

“I’m not anti-mask, I’m anti-mandate,” said parent Matt Pergar. “We don’t need the school board to mandate things to us.”

He suggested he could have his son wear a mask if parents of other students request it.

“We can work together as a community and figure it out,” Pergar said regarding mask-wearing. “I don’t hate you because you want to wear a mask or you support a (mask) mandate.”

Greater Latrobe approved its mask-optional health and safety plan in July, by a 6-3 vote.

Superintendent Georgia Teppert said the school board’s heath and safety committee is expected to meet Friday to review any updates on covid-19 information. “There possibly could be another vote if the plan changes,” she said.

Teppert said she sought input from other physicians in the community before the health plan was approved.

“We’ll always stay on top of any new information that comes out,” said school board member Dr. Rhonda Laughlin, who is an optometrist.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week elevated Westmoreland and several surrounding counties, including Allegheny, to having a high level of covid-19 transmission.

The CDC defines a “high” covid-19 transmission level as more than 100 cases per 100,000 people or a 10% positivity rate in a particular county over seven days. Westmoreland County’s positivity rate is 6.7%.