Masks to Be Required in All Duluth School District Buildings for Rest of Summer, Potentially Into School Year

Starting on Monday, all Duluth School District buildings will bring back mask mandates for the rest of the summer and possibly into the school year.

DULUTH, Minn.– Starting on Monday, all Duluth School District buildings will bring back mask mandates for the rest of the summer and possibly into the school year, but no final decision for the fall has been made yet. This comes as masking rules have come up again over concerns of the delta variant.

Starting on Monday, all Duluth School District buildings will bring back mask mandates for the rest of the summer and possibly into the school year.

Masks will be required for anyone ages 2 and up, whether they’re vaccinated or not. The new rule will run until further notice as school officials continue to monitor COVID conditions in the area.

“Mitigation through things like mask wearing, cleaning, hand washing is really important,” said Duluth Superintendent John Magas.

The school district’s current protocols released last month have masking requirements for kids age 2 through the fifth grade and staff working with them. While the rest of students and staff would mask up if they’re not vaccinated.

“I think it was important for us to follow through on those safety measures,” said Magas.

Magas says the change is based on new masking guidance by federal, state and local health leaders, along with new mandates for city buildings in Duluth.

“If I look at where we are in preparation I think that we need to be ready for potential mask wearing for preschool through 12th grade. I think it’s important for us to be ready,” said Magas.

Magas says that the district will work closely with local and state health officials on developing future protocols if the masking measures stay in place for the school year. But the main goal he says is to keep kids in the classroom full-time with the school year right around the corner.

“Nobody is excited about having to go back to mask wearing,” said Magas. “it’s not something that we were hoping to do or that we’re wanting to put upon people.” but we do think that it’s important for us to do everything possible to make sure that we have in-person instruction for our students five days a week.”

A final decision on masking for the school year will be made by the Duluth School Board by august 24.