The following is a statement released by the I-35 school board after the incidents that took place on Wednesday:
The Interstate 35 Community School District Board of Directors is committed to providing the students, staff, and visitors to the school a safe environment when in the district’s buildings and attending school functions.
For the past 170 school days students and staff have been learning and teaching in person. The school has successfully navigated the pandemic with minimal disruption. Interstate 35 Community School District has been successful in keeping students and staff safe and in school all year by following the CDC and state and local public health guidelines and recommendations.
We look forward to finishing the school year with the same success that we have had since we welcomed students and staff back last fall by continuing our current mitigation practices for the few short number of days we have left. We acknowledge that some disagree with our current COVID mitigation measures, including the wearing of masks. There have been people on both sides of various COVID issues since the beginning of this pandemic. The Board understands all points of view, but it is the Board’s job to evaluate all information and determine what it believes is best for the majority of students and staff within the District. While we believe staying the course on our current mitigation measures is the best, most prudent approach for the remainder of this school year, the Board is committed to continuing to look for alternatives to mandatory mask-wearing next school year and it is the hope of the Board that public health guidance will support masks being optional next school year. The Board hopes to share its plans for next school year as soon as possible.
We understand fatigue is being felt by everyone and we appreciate everyone’s collective efforts to help ensure a successful completion of this school year.
