Cleveland School officials explain their mask mandate

"Our mandate and opt out will stay in effect for a month at a time."

CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) –  Mask mandates are in effect, or going into effect in many parts of the country.

Add the Cleveland city school system to that list.

As News 12’s Dave Staley tells us, the board of education making that decision in a special meeting!

The new mask mandate, which starts September 7th, is for the Cleveland city school system. Not to be confused with the county system.
The bottom line, as far as the decision by the board, was pretty cut and dried: trying to decrease the number students and teachers who have to quarantine.

DAVE STALEY, NEWS 12 NOW;
“The mandate was unanimously passed, after the board heard that one day earlier this week, almost 12 percent of the students were out of school because of either COVID-19 or another illness.”

JEFF ELLIOTT, CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER;
“We have our concerns to watch out for. We are all about the safety for our children, so that’s our first priority. We continue to look at ways to provide the safest environment for our kids here at the Cleveland city schools.”

In a recent poll, Tennessee has the highest number of COVID cases, per capita, in the USA. Elliott says the whole situation will be closely monitored.

JEFF ELLIOTT, CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER;

Every month, we will address the situation at our school board meeting.”

Elliott says all of the feedback on the mandate will be taken into consideration. Especially that which comes from the parents.
Dave Staley, News 12 Now