Mulvihill: Masks in class are better than distance learning

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, August 31st, 2021 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories

PENDLETON – No one likes the school mask mandate according to InterMountain Education Service District Superintendent. However, he adds, it could be much worse.

“If we were in this situation last year with these numbers, we would be shut down,” he said. “Businesses would be shut down, schools would be shut down, and we’d be in distance learning like we were last fall.”

Mulvihill said that since the outdoor masking requirement doesn’t apply to schools, teachers will be keeping students outside more, and will work to find other ways to ease the kids’ minds.

Some people are asking schools just to ignore the mandate. Mulvihill said that would be costly.

“There are consequences ranging from daily fines to possible closure by OHA to licenses for superintendents, administrators and teachers being revoked,” he said. “There are some pretty severe consequences if you’re going to thumb your nose at a state mandate.”

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