When they take their seats in January, two newly-elected Stafford County School Board members will work to repeal the division's mask mandate.
"It's my number-one priority," said Alyssa Halstead, who will represent the Hartwood District, replacing Holly Hazard, who did not seek reelection. "None of the kids want them...the kids are miserable. They would come to the door while I was talking with their parents and say, 'will you please get these mask mandates lifted?"
Stafford County Public Schools issued mask mandates for everyone inside of school buildings a week before children returned to class in August. Officials said they wanted to stay in lockstep with the CDC, which had just issued new guidance that encouraged schoolchildren to wear masks to the maximum extent practicable.
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