Governor Holcomb Considering School Mask Mandate

This consideration comes after a request from the Indiana State Teachers Association.

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(Indianapolis, Ind.) – Governor Eric Holcomb said that he is considering making masks mandatory in schools due to the request of the state’s largest teachers’ union.

According to a report from IndyStar, the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) met with Holcomb and other state leaders Tuesday and asked him to implement a mask requirement in the state’s K-12 schools for students grades 6 and above.

As of now, state guidance has recommended that students wear masks but there is not a mandate. While some districts are requiring masks, others are not.

President of the ISTA, Keith Gambill, stated that many teachers are having a “great deal of fear and concern” about returning to school.

“We believe that masks should be mandatory for grades six to 12,” Gambill said. “They are very important for kindergarten through fifth grade, but we also understand that those younger students are going to need some assistance in learning how to wear a mask.”

According to IndyStar, Governor Holcomb said, “we will consider the mask mandate, and I appreciate their concerns.”

Gov. Holcomb did not say when he would make a definitive decision about masks in schools. Districts in the central Indian area are set to reopen starting late July and early August, though some have pushed back their state dates.

There are also concerns that some teachers will not return to the profession this year out of concern for their safety.

A recent survey of 1,200 members of the Indiana chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest teacher organization in the state, found that more than one-third fall into a high-risk category for the coronavirus due to their age or underlying health conditions.