Plum School Board puts mask decision in hands of students, regardless of vaccination status

The Plum School Board on Nov. 23 passed a new mask policy that will allow all students, regardless of vaccination status, to decide whether or not they want to wear a mask at school.

Additionally, seating restrictions in lunch areas will be rescinded, certain guest restrictions would be lifted, field trips would return and vaccinated employees will have the option to no longer wear a mask. Due to the federal mandate, masks would still be required on district transportation.

The policy’s start date is dependent on the outcome of the Wolf administration’s appeal of the state’s mask mandate being ruled unconstitutional by a commonwealth court. If the appeal is successful, however, the Wolf administration has publicly stated that the mask mandate would end on Jan. 17. Plum’s policy is set to start on Jan. 11, if the appeal is successful then the policy would start on Jan. 18.

Jan. 11 was chosen so that all parents could have a chance for their children to get the vaccine or not. The date is that far in advance so that children could become fully vaccinated by then if the parents decide that is what’s best for their child. By then, the board feels that the lack of a vaccination by a child isn’t due to a lack of access, but the parents opting against the vaccine.

Current board President Mike Devine, who steps down from his president role Dec. 1 but will remain on the school board, said he isn’t aware of any talks about mandating vaccines for students or employees. He said he’d be opposed to any mandate.

“As far as I’ve heard, there are no talks about mandatory vaccines coming down as far as the local government goes,” said Devine. “If it does come down (from the federal level), I personally do not support it. I can’t speak for the rest of the board members, but if it does come down I will be fighting it until our hands are tied and we no longer have that option to make that decision for the local school district.”

The two vaccine clinics are one of the reasons the current school board felt comfortable with the January date. Both will be held by Giant Eagle after school hours at Plum Senior High School from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The first one is set for Nov. 30, with the second on Dec. 21. The school board is against holding a clinic during school hours, as Devine said it would, “disrupt the learning process.”

Concerns were raised in regards to potential liability issues for the school district and incoming school board members if anything negative was to happen from either of the vaccine clinics. Incoming school board members Megan Chuderewicz and Ron Sakolsky both asked the board to table the vote until after they took office on Dec. 1, one board member abstained from voting on the clinics for this reason.

“I’m concerned that the board is making decisions tonight on the vaccines and the clinics that will have a major impact on the new board,” said Sakolsky at the meeting. “I believe I was elected to make well-informed and transparent decisions for the Plum community, in students K-12, and the parents. I’m asking the board to please table the clinics and vaccines so that the new board members have a chance to disseminate the data, discuss it with the board, and make a transparent decision for the constituents of Plum.”

Devine stressed that the board checked with the solicitor and their insurance companies before scheduling the clinics to make sure that nobody on the plum school board could be held liable for any issues to arise from hosting a clinic.

“The vaccine clinic is in no way shape or form a mandatory clinic,” said Devine. “It’s simply another option for working parents, just for convenience, who can get to the school, closer to their home without their appointment and get the vaccine if they want it. If you don’t want the vaccine for your children, my advice is don’t show up at the clinics when they’re offered.”