The state and the federal government are not going to decide if students in Bend will wear masks when they return to school in the fall. Oregon school boards and school administrators will decide on the plan with guidance from health officials.

What should the Bend-La Pine Schools do?

In-person learning seems guaranteed. Masks though? The board of Bend-La Pine Schools will be discussing the policy at its meeting on Tuesday.

The district’s policy will be broader than masking. It will cover “distancing, cleaning guidance, hand hygiene, ventilation practices, cohorting and contact tracing.” Now is the time to give the district your input, if you want to help shape those plans.

Masks helped prevent the spread of COVID-19. There was also a cost. Masks make it more difficult to read facial expressions and understand people. They make it more difficult to communicate and for children to learn. And though the COVID-19 vaccine is not available for all children, children have been shown to be at lower risk. Vaccines for children as young as 6 months may be available soon.

The school district plans to make its decision in partnership with local health officials, guidance from the Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Health Authority and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC guidance for schools issued earlier this month says masks should be worn indoors by all aged 2 and up who are not fully vaccinated.

Much can change between now and the fall. We do know the district’s policy for summer school includes:

• Strongly advising students in grades 6-12 to wear masks indoors.
• Strongly advising all summer school staff wear masks while indoors.
• Recommending mask s for summer school students in grades K-5 while indoors.
• Not requiring masks outdoors.
• And not asking for proof of vaccination.

We’d rather the masking, distancing and so on was just over. But we can’t imagine the district will do anything or should do anything but follow what local, state and federal health officials recommend.

You can email the school board with your input at school-board@bend.k12.or.us