Pittsburgh Public Schools votes to make masks optional

Pittsburgh Public Schools’ board voted Wednesday to make mask-wearing optional for students starting next week, making the district one of the last in the region to move away from mandatory masking.

Masks for most will remain optional as long as Allegheny County remains in a low level of covid-19 spread, as laid out by federal guidelines.

The initial proposal called for restoring the mandatory masking policy if the county reached the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s benchmark for a high level of covid spread. Board member Jamie Piotrowski proposed restoring it if the county reached a moderate level of covid spread.

“I think that this is a good compromise so that as the level does get to medium, it seems inevitable that it would get to high, and so (I’m) trying to be just a little more preventative so there aren’t any crazy covid explosions in our schools,” she said.

The board voted 5-3 to adopt Piotrowski’s amendment. The board voted 8-0 to adopt the overall changes to the health and safety plan.

Initially, the revised masking plan was to take effect immediately, but board Vice President Pam Harbin asked for time for families with students who are immunocompromised or have disabilities to prepare and make accommodations for the changes.

“My only ask is that we please inform these families first and not just turn the switch (Thursday),” she said. “I think that would be doing a disservice and those students just won’t be able to come to school, and I don’t think that’s right.”

Other updates to the covid policy will decrease the number of days of required isolation from 10 days to at least five, until symptoms improve and no fever is present for at least 24 hours, said district spokeswoman Ebony Pugh.

Students and staff who end isolation can return to school as long as they wear a tight-fitting mask for days six through 10.

“It is preferred that individuals do rapid antigen testing upon return on day six, if possible, especially if they cannot wear a well-fitted mask,” Pugh said.