The Washington County School Board voted August 19, 2021 to require masks to be worn by all students, faculty, and visitors when inside any Washington County School building.  

Washington County Schools (hereafter, “WCDE”) has developed the following form allowing parents or legal guardians the option to opt their student out of any requirement to wear a face covering in WCDE.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended universal indoor masking in K-12 educational settings and has emphasized the importance of wearing masks to reduce transmission in schools.  

Many school-aged children are not yet eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, leaving them susceptible to infection. To ensure that students and teachers are able to safely participate in in-person instruction, it is recommended that all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools wear masks and practice social distancing when possible. More information on the CDC guidance for COVID-19 prevention in K-12 schools can be found on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-guidance.html

By completing this form, you are giving permission for your student to not wear a face covering while at school. This permission does not apply to any local, state or federal order, such as riding a school bus, or any TSSAA rule. A separate form must be completed for each student for whom you are giving permission.