Gov. Laura Kelly has issued an executive order requiring face masks and daily temperature checks in K-12 schools.
The rules are stricter than guidelines adopted recently by the Republican-controlled State Board of Education. At a news conference Monday, Kelly called upon the board to support her order as well as the order delaying the start of schools until after Labor Day.
“I’m asking each State Board of Education member to put politics aside and think about our children, their parents, their teachers and the survival of our Main Street businesses,” she said.
By law, the state board has to approve any delays to the start of the school year. They’ve scheduled a 10 a.m. meeting Wednesday.
Masks will be required of anyone entering a school building, including all visitors to the school. Gov. Kelly said some exceptions are in place.
“Exceptions will be made for consumption of food and beverages, activities that cannot be safely conducted with a mask or other face covering and children who are not students who are under the age of 5,” she said.
Those with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering and those who are deaf or work with someone who is hard of hearing, are also exempt.
If the state board agrees to Kelly’s order delaying the start of schools, that would mean activities are also postponed until that time. Kelly discussed there are some discussions already happening that could see fall activities pushed to the spring.
“I know there are conversations going on like that and the fact of the matter is it’s incumbent upon our school districts to ensure that any activities that they sanction are conducted in a manner that protects the safety of the participants, but also those around them,” she said.
One possibility the governor discussed may be to flip the fall and spring sports seasons, since many of the spring sports are more individual sports while fall sports tend to involve more contact. The Kansas State High School Activities Association has not determined a course of action and likely won’t rule until after the state board makes its decision Wednesday.
