masks - Randolph Record

23 Feb

School board advances pay increases, will remove bus masks

Randolph RecordNewsbus masks, masks, pay increases, School Board, teachers

ASHEBORO — Students may be able to ride buses without masks if federal rules change, and teachers will likely receive additional pay in May following votes at this week’s county board of education meeting. The Randolph County school board also adopted a 2023-2024 school calendar Monday night. Before the school board’s business session, chairman Gary Cook made a lengthy statement regarding the pandemic and the government’s response to it. “I feel like we were held hostage,” said Cook. “The governor held all the power.” Cook also called out federal and state leaders for the impacts of pandemic policies on students…

11 Feb

Asheboro City Schools drops mask mandate

Randolph RecordNewsEducation, masks, schools

ASHEBORO — On the day North Carolina's Speaker of the House called for an end to K-12 masking and quarantine policies, Asheboro City Schools took a first step. In a 10-1 vote, the city schools voted Thursday night to drop mask requirements. The change will go into effect Feb. 21. Randolph County Schools dropped mask rules in November. The Union County School Board voted this week to end contact tracing and quarantines. Randolph County had previously voted to limit contact tracing by school system personnel in November. School Board member Fred Burgess championed the move to report positive cases to…

17 Nov

Randolph County Schools keep masks optional

Randolph RecordNewscovid-19, masks, randolph county

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County School Board voted again Monday night to keep masks optional in the county’s largest school system. The vote came two weeks after a special called meeting where the system voted to end mask requirements and to stop contact tracing. Gathered in their regular meeting room, the elected officials were not wearing masks. Superintendent Stephen Gainey, who has worn a mask during recent public meetings when seated with the board, was also not wearing a mask. Following a lengthy closed session where the board consulted with its attorneys, the board retuned to its action item agenda.…

02 Nov

Randolph County School Board votes to remove mask requirement

Randolph RecordNewsCOVID, Education, masks, masks COVID, schools

ASHEBORO — In a special meeting focused on mask rules, the Randolph County School Board has voted to end mandatory mask wearing. The mandate had been in place since the start of the school year. Prior to the school year starting, the county's largest school system had made masks optional. However, after pressure from Governor Roy Cooper — who had removed a statewide mask mandate for schools — the board reversed course just before students returned. The change at the county's largest school system came on election night where GOP-backed candidates swept the four open seats for the Asheboro City…

21 Jul

County school boards rebel against K-12 mask mandates

A.P. DillonGovernment, News, Politics, StateEducation, K-12, masks, Roy Cooper

RALEIGH — At a meeting on July 12, the Rowan-Salisbury School Board voted to make masks optional for all students, staff and visitors. The measure passed by a 5-2 vote. Chair Kevin Jones, along with members Travis Allen, Susan Cox, Dean Hunter and Brian Hightower voted in favor while Vice-Chair Alisha Byrd-Clark and member Jean Kennedy voted against. “I’m willing to take that opportunity to make an example to the rest of the school boards in the state,” Allen said of the vote to make masks optional. A second motion was passed by the Rowan board in support of the General Assembly’s…