The school board for the Pulaski County Special School District voted 4-2 Tuesday against reinstating a mask mandate for elementary school children ages 5-11.
Under the proposal, reinstating the mask requirement would have lasted until the children have an opportunity to become vaccinated.
The vote came after a group of parents — several of whom are pediatricians — asked for a mask mandate to be reinstated. They said families of young students have not had sufficient time or easy access to vaccines at Arkansas Children's Hospital or pediatric clinics.
The decision came after the board held its second special meeting in less than two months in response to a petition from citizens regarding the wearing of face coverings as a defense against covid-19.
A divided board voted Nov. 9 to discontinue the mask-wearing requirement for students and employees in schools. That came after a group of district parents and others exercised a state law that enables citizens to petition for a school board meeting. Representatives of that group presented in person to the board their arguments against mandating that all students and employees wear masks in school buildings.
The latest group of petitioners had asked the board to revisit that earlier decision.