Butler Area is the latest school district to make a decision on the wearing of masks in the upcoming school year.

Superintendent Brian White sent a letter to all parents on Tuesday stating that attorneys from the district solicitor, Dillon McCandless King Coulter and Graham, have advised the school board that they do not have the authority to mandate masks for students and staff while at school.

The attorneys said it is their opinion that to mandate masking, legislation by the state legislature or an order from the state secretary of health would be required, the letter said.

White said throughout the pandemic, he has followed a podcast by Dr. Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota.

Osterholm's latest broadcast advised that a cloth mask provides five to 10 minutes of protection from the COVID-19 virus, a KN95 mask provides up to 35 hours of protection.

“With that in mind, we have ordered KN95 masks that we will make available to both students and employees,” White's letter states. “The intent will be to provide them on a weekly basis to those who would like to wear one.”

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