SDOC updates mask requirement for buses

“SDOC updates Mask Requirement for Buses

Consequences will be enforced for students who do not wear a mask.

As the district announced last week, the SC State Department of Education re-instituted the requirement of face masks for students and drivers** on buses. School districts were given until August 30th to be in compliance.  The SCDE released a revised memo on Friday, August 26th, to clarify that  districts shall implement disciplinary measures for not wearing the mask.  The memo said:

“…All districts must be in compliance with this requirement no later than Monday, August 30, 2021. School districts shall implement disciplinary measures designed to enforce this requirement, including, but not limited to suspending a student from riding a bus. However, no student should be placed in an unsafe situation as a result of attempting to board a bus without a face covering.”

The revised memo is linked on the SDOC COVID-19 page. The consequences for a student who refuse to wear a mask on the bus will include:

1st time:  Students will receive a warning
2nd time: A phone call will be made to the parents, explaining the consequences
3rd time:  Students will be suspended from the bus for one day.
Each additional refusal will result in an increase in the number of days the student is suspended from the bus.  It is possible with repeated refusal to wear a mask may result in suspension from the bus for the remainder of the school year.

SDOC will begin implementation of consequences on Tuesday, September 7th.”