An advisory is not a mandate
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, May 25th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The Oregon Department of Education recently issued a COVID-19 advisory when an uptick in cases were recorded. The public reaction was immediate and, in many cases, InterMountain Education Service District Superintendent Mark Mulvihill said filled with misunderstanding.
“I really want to clarify the difference between a mandate, which we will follow, and an advisory, which has some flexibility to look at the local context,” he said.
Just as the National Weather Service has advisories, alerts and warnings, the Oregon Department of Education issues mandates as rules and advisories as suggestions and reminders.
“That’s something that makes a lot of sense as we move forward hopefully to an endemic and out of this pandemic,” he said. “Our districts are really focused on our local context.”
