Mask exception forms are now available for students at Tamaqua Area School District.

That’s in response to the motion passed at last Tuesday’s Tamaqua Area School Board meeting to comply with the Wolf administration’s latest K-12 mask mandate.

The decision came three weeks after the board initially voted to keep masking optional for its students.

“At this point, there will be no masks until Oct. 4. If you submit the (exemption form) by Oct. 1, you will be exempt on Oct. 4,” said Nicholas Boyle, vice president, after Tuesday’s meeting.

Boyle said only a parent’s signature is required. “You don’t need a doctor’s note,” he added.

“If you don’t want to have a mask for bacterial reasons, you can’t breathe or whatever, you just have to fill out the form, have it signed, and you’re done.”

Following board’s original Sept. 2 decision to defy the mandate, the Pennsylvania Department of Education sent a letter to the board dated Sept. 8, signed by secretary of education, Noe Ortega.

“As such, by failing to adhere to the order, you may personally face lawsuits from those who may be affected by noncompliance with the Order, including children who may become ill as a result of the district’s violation, or disabled children who are unable to attend school because of the district’s failure to follow the order,” the letter said.

During last Tuesday’s meeting, board President Larry Wittig labeled the letter “toothless.”

That same letter is publicly available on the state’s Department of Education “messages” page - with only Tamaqua’s name hidden.

On the PDE’s website is a “messages” page, which provides a link to the identical letter sent to Tamaqua.

The PDE “messages” page adds, “On Wednesday (Sept. 8), PDE issued a communication to a school district that has exhibited significant noncompliance with the Acting Secretary of Health’s Face Coverings Order. While this letter responds to a specific set of circumstances in a single school entity, the cautions and conditions are broadly applicable to all school entities - both public and nonpublic.”

On the same webpage, the PDE reiterated that the Order is not a mask optional policy. It states, “Any school entity simply permitting a parent’s signoff without evidence that the student has a medical or mental health condition or disability that precludes the wearing of a face covering is not in compliance with the Order. ... There are exceptions to the Order; however, a parent’s opposition to the Order is not one of them.”

Dr. Greg Koons, Executive Director Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29, has been meeting with Schuylkill County superintendents regularly throughout the pandemic. Koons favors having medical personnel to back a mask exemption decision.

“A majority (of Schuylkill school districts) are not allowing the exemption, they are enforcing this to the best of their abilities,” Koons added.

However, the Blue Mountain School District has an exemption form, similar to Tamaqua’s, uploaded to its website. That form, like Tamaqua’s, does not request a physician’s signature - only a parent or guardian.

Tamaqua’s exception forms are due Friday.

“We won’t begin that process of compiling exceptions until much later in the week,” added Ray Kinder, Tamaqua superintendent.

According to Ortega, there could be more masking news on the way this week.

“We know the beginning of the year has been difficult as we continue to pursue in-person instruction for our students while managing the aggressive delta COVID-19 variant,” Ortega said in a message on the PDE site.

“We will continue to work with DOH to provide updates to health guidance and student-related health data. Additionally, as indicated in my Sept. 3 letter, we will provide an update by Oct. 1 on the DOH mask order as we continue to evaluate community transmission rates, vaccination data, and other health-related indicators.”