Park County School District #6 considers requesting a variance to the state’s public health order, making masks voluntary in Cody schools.
A message was sent via text message on Tuesday afternoon to parents in the Cody school district:
Park #6 Schools:: Good Afternoon Park 6 Parents/Guardians,
The Wyoming Department of Health has just released the 25th Continuation of the Statewide Public Health Order. This order continues to mandate face coverings for K-12 schools (#25 Order.5). The purpose of this survey is to receive your input regarding Park 6 requesting a variance from Public Health that could allow masks to be voluntary for the remainder of this school year. Please complete the following simple survey on or before Monday, April 19th.
The survey – available via Google Docs – is simple. Parents are only asked two questions:
- Grade span your child/student attends
- Are you in support of Park County School District 6 asking Public Health for a variance to the mask mandate for K-12 schools?
The survey’s timing isn’t a coincidence – it was sent hours after the Wyoming Department of Health announced the unamended extension of the state’s remaining public health orders.
On Tuesday, April 13, the Wyoming Department of Health announced that Public Health Orders 1 and 2 would be extended through the end of April. Mask use and physical distancing requirements will remain in effect in Wyoming’s schools, with students and adults needing to cover their faces.
A variance would need to be formally requested by Park County Public Health Officer Dr. Aaron Billin. Once submitted, it would be reviewed by State Health Officer Alexia Harrist and the Wyoming Department of Health.
The request would be approved or denied based on the county’s COVID-19 climate.
As of Tuesday, April 13, there are 14 active cases of COVID-19 in Park County. There were only seven confirmed cases on April 11.
