School boards across the county recently held meetings to discuss whether to make mask wearing mandatory or optional during this school year.

While most boards made it optional, plans during the COVID-19 era — as we have all learned — are often a work in progress.

Take, for example, Seneca Valley School Board’s original plan for voluntary but recommended masking. That board reconvened this week to vote to mandate masking after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved Butler County to the “high” level of community transmission as the delta variant spreads.

Amid all this, as the Eagle reported, some parents have opted not to send their children back to in-person learning this fall out of an abundance of caution. Instead, they will continue to receive instruction remotely.

Nobody will argue with the oft-noted assertion that the classroom is the ideal place for learning. While county teachers did an excellent job teaching students remotely this past year, most educators agree that children learn best when they are in a classroom with their teachers and peers.

But nobody should fault parents for wanting to keep their children at home, learning remotely, for the time being.

While children ages 12 and above are eligible for getting vaccinated, younger children still cannot do so.

Earlier this month, a spike in children being hospitalized with the delta variant was reported, and health officials predicted it would get worse.

Officials also noted that if more adults do not get vaccinated, the number of children getting COVID-19 will continue to rise.

So, no, one can’t blame parents for not wanting to send their children back to school if they feel uncomfortable with the masking situation in their district’s school buildings.

One parent told the Eagle that her daughter’s grades improved during remote learning because COVID-19-related anxiety was relieved.

That parent’s younger daughter becomes afraid when they are shopping and people aren’t wearing masks. Chances are, she might have a difficult time learning in a classroom where other students aren’t wearing them, either.

As it was mentioned in a previous editorial on this page, school district officials are making tough decisions that we don’t envy regarding masking. We believe they are trying their best to appease everyone and keep county youths safe.

We’re not criticizing their decisions. At the same time, no one should criticize parents who choose to keep their children at home a little longer. They are also making tough decisions about their child’s safety, education and socialization.

School districts did a great job combatting the challenges of the past year — including remote learning — so we hope they continue to accommodate parents who aren’t ready to send their children back to in-person learning and ensure that all students learning remotely get the same quality education as those sitting in the classroom.

— NCD