The Derby Board of Education voted Monday 4-3 to continue enforcing the district-wide mask mandate for the remainder of the school year.

A district survey of school staff members and parents gauged the community’s stance on mandated masks in schools. 

Of 1,265 parents that responded, 43.6% voted to continue wearing masks at the secondary level. Of the 674 district staff members that responded, 59.3% voted similarly. 

“If they were to have changed it at the beginning of the semester, it would have been fine,” teacher Michelle Forsberg said. “I just don’t want to change it in the middle of the term.”

Of 300 students surveyed by Panther’s Tale, 45.7% believe masks should be mandatory. 

“A substantial portion of Derby and surrounding communities has yet to be vaccinated,” senior Sean Wentling said. “Even if they are, there are rising cases of variant infections as opposed to wild type infections. It would behoove us to strictly follow CDC guidelines all the way through, especially considering the fact that we only have two months of this school year left.”

Eligibility for the Covid-19 vaccine in Kansas is limited to healthcare personnel, residents and employees of long-term care facilities, seniors 65 and older, some emergency responders, and high-contact essential workers. 

All district employees who wanted a vaccination have gotten their second doses.

While the number of cases is experiencing a downward trend, it’s still recommended by the Kansas Health Department that CDC guidelines continue to be followed. 

The other 54.3% of students think that wearing a mask should be optional. 

“I feel like it’s just like everything else,” senior Dusty Martin said. “Covid needs to take its course and the vaccine will help.”

Sedgwick County Commissioners voted 3-2 on Wednesday to end the mask mandate county-wide, but governor Laura Kelly plans to re-issue an order imposing a mask mandate on April 1 and wearing a mask in school will still be mandatory.