At tonight’s meeting of the School Board of the City of Portsmouth, Board members received legal counsel regarding their options in response to Gov. Youngkin’s executive order removing mask mandates in schools. The Board also received guidance regarding mitigation procedures from the Portsmouth Health Department.
As a result of this discussion, and in alignment with the recommendations from the health department, the School Board voted to affirm Virginia Senate Bill 1303, which requires school divisions to adhere to the mitigation strategies provided by the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC). Currently, the CDC recommends masking for all students, staff and visitors in schools, regardless of their vaccination status.
As such, there will be no change to the division’s masking procedures. All students, staff and visitors must remain masked while on school property.