This past Friday, December 10th, students and families were shocked when the majority of fans at the boy’s basketball game were unmasked. Fans were greeted with screens in front of the gym reading “Mask Optional”. Though students and staff had heard about the mask mandate being taken to trial, many were doubtful due to past dates being set for the mandate to be lifted just for the state to push the date back over and over again.

 The trial had begun when people of the community were claiming that the mask mandated by our state health representative was unconstitutional and did not allow people to make their own choice for their own health. This has been going on since the begging of the school year when the mask mandate was in place and had recently been taken to the supreme court.

Parents of Penns Valley students received an email Saturday morning stating that the state had now made masks optional for school students and staff, and our school would be following this order. This was a shock to many due to the new strand of the virus becoming more present in the community and cases rising. Monday, December 13th, was the first day of the new mask optional rule being in place at our school. Many students and staff attended school without a mask or protective face covering. Many have differing opinions on this topic but the majority of students and staff seem to be happy to return back to a “normal” school setting.