The Ramona Unified School District will let parents opt their children out of indoor face mask requirements at school, a district spokesperson confirmed.
The decision goes against requirements announced by the California Department of Public Health last month.
California students, and staff members in school settings, are required to wear masks while indoors at school regardless of vaccination status and have the option to wear them outside, according to the CDPH's rules, which the agency said were in line with guidance from the CDC.
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RUSD's Board of Trustees approved the option for parents in a 3-2 vote Thursday. Board member Dawn Perfect, who voted in favor of the change, tweeted,"Let's see if we can make it stick."
The district is home to 11 schools. The school year starts on Aug.19.
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On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced all school staffers will be required to provide proof of vaccination or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing. Staff affected by the new requirement include teachers, para-educators, custodial staff and bus drivers.
The overwhelming majority of teachers in the state are already vaccinated, "but we need to get the other staff vaccinated as well," Newsom said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday threw its support behind mandatory masking indoors at school, in part because so much of the student population isn't yet eligible for vaccination.
Right now, the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have Emergency USe Authorization from the FDA for adults and adolescents 12 and older.
The CDPH also said every California school will have access to free testing through the robust state testing program for schools.
In mid-July, the CDPH canceled its order for schools to send home students who refused to wear masks in class and left it up to individual districts to decide what to do. Some say that opened the door for districts that wished to ignore the mask mandate altogether.
On Friday NBC 7 reached out to the district for more information about the decision and has not heard back. Check back for updates to this story.
