File PhotoValdosta High School building.

VALDOSTA – Valdosta City Schools has upheld its decision to not mandate masks when city classes resume in September.

During a meeting this week, the Valdosta Board of Education confirmed an earlier decision that masks will be strongly suggested versus making them a requirement.

Valdosta Schools Superintendent Dr. Todd Cason presented the possibility of a mask mandate to the board. He said he made the request based on concerns he’s heard from teachers.

Some board members said requiring masks would increase stress on teachers. The board opted to stick with strongly suggesting masks but will continue monitoring the situation.

David Gilyard, a substitute teacher, spoke during the public participation of the meeting and disagreed with the board’s decision.

“As a substitute teacher and an older person that is high risk, I am floored by the fact you will not mandate these students wear a mask,” Gilyard said. “If I go into the classroom and I’m at risk and I can’t tell a student to wear a mask, why am I here? These students can pass this stuff around.”

He said many substitutes within the system are older and people of color, who are a high-risk group.

Gilyard said he believes the system will see a shortage of substitute teachers for the year and proposed the idea of adding extra incentive to make these subs want to re-enter the schools.

As of the board meeting Tuesday, approximately 44% of students within Valdosta City Schools have signed up for the virtual learning option.

Virtual learning models are a new realm for every school. The planned fall models of virtual classrooms are more structured than the ones introduced last spring when schools first shut down.

Preparations are underway within Valdosta City Schools before students return to class on Sept. 8. 

Board members reviewed several of the steps being taken by Cason and faculty members.

Beth DeLoach, assistant superintendent for student support services, reviewed attendance for virtual students. She said the first level of truancy with face-to-face learning is three unexcused absences, which will correlate to one week of no active participation or turned in assignments for a virtual student. Once this happens, teachers will contact parents to discuss the matter.

Valdosta City Schools has also given plenty of thought to students who may not have a computer or reliable internet services in order to participate in virtual learning, school officials said.

The system had already announced it would be giving Chromebooks to students in need and are taking extra steps to find ways to ensure all students have access to wifi.

Hotspots are being purchased for some students and buses equipped with wifi can travel to areas where students have no other way to connect to the internet. Each school will also have wifi that can be accessed from the parking lot, allowing students and parents to download assignments to take home and then upload later on.

The Valdosta Board of Education will hold its next work session Aug. 25. The September regular meeting was moved from its original Sept. 8 date to Sept. 15 so it would not land on the first day of school.

All Valdosta City School meetings are live streamed on the system’s Facebook page.