HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The Henrico County school board voted to allow Superintendent Dr. Amy Cashwell to consider transitioning away from universal masking for students when certain metrics are met.
Those metrics include a provision that Henrico County must fall below 100 new cases per 100,000 people or below 10% positivity on PCR tests within the past seven days and that holds for seven days.
Henrico parent Meghan Ely, whose son attends Nuckles Farm, said she agreed with school boards being able to set clear metrics for themselves for when masks can become optional.
"If they can come together with a clear cut plan that is very clear when we hit this level we are going to do this," Ely said.
However, she doesn't agree with a bill sponsored by Democratic Senator Chap Peterson to amend the code of Virginia and end mask mandates in Virginia schools.
The bill already passed the Senate with bipartisan support and it is now heading to the Republican-led House where it is sure to pass.
From there, the bill will go to Governor Glenn Youngkin, who could add an emergency clause that would allow the bill to take effect in a matter of weeks. The bill would then go back to the House and Senate for approval.
If approved, Henrico would have to comply, which worries Ely.
"I don't want to see a rush job," Ely said.
However, the end of mask mandates in Virginia schools makes mom Amy Kenyon very happy.
She pulled her son out of Henrico County Public Schools when the system went to virtual learning in 2020 and she is now thinking about sending him back for high school.
"It's a decision we have got to make. It's a hard decision," Kenyon said.
On her list of decision-makers is a parental choice on masks.
"I'm all for choice. I am not an anti-masker, I've worn my mask, my son has worn a mask for years, we did what we had to do, but we are two or three years into this," Kenyon said.
She believes Henrico Schools need to stop forcing kids to wear masks.
"I think it's politically motivated, I don't believe they are following the science," Kenyon said.
