As COVID-19 cases decrease, schools and cities have begun lifting COVID-19 regulations. On January 28, the conflicted LRSD board voted to extend the mask mandate across schools. That means that students in the district will be required to wear masks until April 14, when the school board will vote again.

The board decided after a long-running debate among each other, and the words of parents and staff who were against the mask mandate were read out loud for an open discussion. However, the vote ended up in a 6-3 toward the mandate. 

The board also discussed COVID-19 leave for school staff, a resolution on school calendar makeup days, and the $50 incentive available for students who get the vaccine.

The incentive will give students the option in the school district to receive a $50 Visa gift card in exchange for getting a COVID-19 shot. 

Parents will simply have to answer a few questions on this Google Form and then upload a clear image of their child’s vaccination record by Friday, March 18. After spring break the $50 gift cards will be delivered to the front office where middle and high school students can pick them up. Parents will have to pick up the gift cards if the student is in elementary. A signature and verification will be necessary to officially receive the money. Students previously vaccinated can also complete the Google Form and get a $50 Visa gift card.

https://lrsd.jotform.com/212976574709066

Some school board leaders like Jeff Wood, Michael Mason, and Leigh Ann Wilson were strongly against the incentive. Woods explained that it was immoral to persuade parents to get their children vaccinated since children can’t legally consent to it. 

But some school leaders hope that offering money will encourage more students to get the vaccine. The more students that are vaccinated the fewer students will be out of school. Under current health guidelines if a vaccinated person gets COVID-19 they are not restricted to stay at home (unless they have symptoms) compared to someone who is unvaccinated. The board members who voted for the incentive felt that although cases are finally declining, people still need to get vaccinated to ensure that there won’t be a considerably high rise again. Hopefully, this is the motivation that students need to get vaccinated.