Whidbey school districts will follow the state’s guidance and make masks optional beginning March 12.

In a school board meeting Feb. 28, Oak Harbor School District board members, staff and administrators were cautiously optimistic about the prospect of attending school mask-free and reaffirmed their commitment to support students and staff who choose to keep masking up for school.

Board member Bob Hallahan asked meeting attendees whether they felt like school staff would feel comfortable without masks, noting that some district staff members left their jobs in 2020 over safety concerns.

“I feel like in my circles, people are ready to pitch these and move on,” he said. “Is that generally true at the schools? Are staffers feeling comfortable with this feeling? I don’t want the feeling that we’re putting staffers at risk out there in any way, shape, or form.”

Several people from the audience responded to his query.

“I think for the most part, people are happy to take off their masks but there are definitely a few that are still nervous about that,” Broad View Elementary School Principal Jenny Hunt said. “We keep reinforcing that they are allowed to keep a mask on if they feel the need to do so, and there won’t be any repercussions, or nobody will make them feel bad for that.”

Olympic View Elementary School Principal Sara Lucero offered a similar sentiment, saying that staff and students will be free to do whatever makes them feel safe and comfortable.

“Personally, I am super excited to see the faces of the little people and to be able to see some smiles,” she said.

Some people will likely continue to wear masks, such as student board representative River Clark, who shared the personal decision to continue wearing a mask at school.

Board members also questioned whether students would have to mask up on buses. The governor’s guidance allows people to go maskless in schools, grocery stores and places of worship beginning March 12, but some locations will maintain their mask requirement, including public transportation.

Kurt Schonberg, assistant superintendent of human resources, said that school buses would follow school building guidelines, not public transportation guidelines, making masks optional on the ride to school.

Three members of the public — Kimberly Christiansen, Danielle Lamp and former school board candidate Jessica Thompson — joined the meeting during the public comment section to read a letter signed by around 25 Oak Harbor families encouraging the school board not to enforce a district mask mandate after March 12.

The letter claimed that by threatening to withhold funds from districts that did not comply with state mask mandates, the Washington State School Directors Association and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction took away decision-making power from school boards that should have remained at the local level.

The letter referenced school board members’ past responses to community members who opposed mask-wearing in schools; school board members said they could not flout state mask requirements because of the risk of losing funding.

“You’ve been sincerely telling us your hands are tied by WSSDA and OSPI,” the letter read. “We understand you now. So together, let’s untie your hands and restore your authority to represent us, the parents of Oak Harbor School District.”

Superintendent Karst Brandsma said the district is on track to follow the governor’s recommendation and does not need to take formal action to lift the mask mandate March 12.

Coupeville Superintendent Steve King confirmed that Coupeville School District will also make mask-wearing optional as per the governor’s guidance. Like Brandsma, he noted that school districts are still waiting on more details about the change in guidance from the governor’s office.

Barring any new requirements from the local health department, South Whidbey School District is also following suit and making masking a personal choice. Like the others, Superintendent Jo Moccia emphasized that all choices will be respected.

“One should not make assumptions regarding someone’s beliefs or health status, nor should they comment on them,” she said in a message to students and families. “Our district will not tolerate bullying of any kind for those who choose to continue wearing masks.”