Mandatory or optional masks for students? Here’s what NC school districts are doing
North Carolina’s guidelines for the wearing of masks in public schools, as laid out in the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit (K-12), aligns with CDC recommendations for universal indoor masking in all schools, kindergarten through grade 12.
But ultimately, the enforcement of mask policies has been left up to local school boards.
Most school districts — particularly those in larger urban areas — are keeping a mask mandate for all students (as well as teachers, staff and visitors), but some boards have opted to make masking optional.
In fact, nearly 40 of the 115 total districts have so far said they will allow masks to be optional. All but one of those districts (Watauga) are in rural or “red” areas that voted for Trump in the 2020 presidential election.
Not all counties have decided on or announced their mask policy, but we have a look at where things stand right now with local school districts, and also with districts across the state that are making masks optional.
This story will be updated as more school districts make decisions.
Mask policies at Triangle area school districts
▪ Wake, Durham and Orange County school systems, as well as the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system, will adopt the state guidelines and require universal indoor masking in public schools. The Wake and Chapel Hill-Carrboro boards just voted Tuesday night. Durham will start the traditional school year with a mask requirement at all grade levels, spokesman Chip Sudderth said Tuesday. The administration made the decision and will update the school board Aug. 12.
▪ Johnston and Harnett county school systems have voted for optional masking.
▪ Chatham and Franklin counties have not yet decided.
North Carolina school districts with optional masking
Alexander County
Ashe County
Beaufort County
Burke County
Cabarrus County
Kannapolis City
Caldwell County
Carteret County
Clay County
Cleveland County
Columbus County
Whiteville City
Davidson County
Davie County
Gaston County
Harnett County
Haywood County
Henderson County
Iredell County
Mooresville City
Johnston County
Lincoln County
Madison County
McDowell County
Moore County
Pender County
Perquimans County
Randolph County
Rowan County
Sampson County
Clinton City
Stokes County
Swain County
Transylvania County
Union County
Watauga County
Wilkes County
North Carolina school districts with mask mandates
Alamance County-Burlington City
Anson County
Craven County
Cumberland County
Duplin County
Durham County
Winston-Salem-Forsyth County
Gates County
Greene County
Guilford County
Hertford County
Hoke County
Jackson County
Lee County
Martin County
Charlotte-Mecklenburg County
Montgomery County
Nash County
New Hanover County
Orange County/Chapel Hill-Carrboro City
Elizabeth City/Pasquotank County
Robeson County
Scotland County
Surry County
Elkin City
Vance County
Wake County
Wilson County