ELKHORN, Neb. (KMTV) — Elkhorn Public Schools have not mandated masks for the 2021-22 school year. As of August 25th, there are seven active coronavirus cases in the district.
Parents with children in the school district say they want a mask mandate and add the current protocols are not enough.
"Honestly, I'm very disappointed like many other parents that they are not proactive but rather reactive," said Bhashwati Minash, who has a child in Elkhorn Public Schools.
Minash says she does not feel safe sending her child to school every day amid the rising COVID cases. She says she wants masks in order to keep schools open and avoid closings.
Other parents have asked the district to keep masks optional as it should be their decision whether or not to mask their children.
In a statement to 3 News Now, the district says they are committed to doing their best to support families.
"EPS supports widespread masking, but we fall short of a mandate. We also know that intermittent and universal masking must remain tools available to us to mitigate spread and keep schools open. When cases arise, EPS is committed to working with DCHD in our response, including the closure of classrooms as directed by public health officials. This remains a difficult situation for schools, but we are committed to continuing to do our best to support families and our students in their learning," the statement said.
