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City of Atlanta and Decatur schools ending mask mandates
Starting Tuesday, students in Atlanta and the city of Decatur will be able to get on their school bus and walk into their classroom without a mask.
ATLANTA - Starting Tuesday, students in both Atlanta and Decatur will be able to head to their classroom without a mask.
Both city school districts are ending their mask mandates, citing new guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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In Atlanta, masks will now be optional. In Decatur, officials say masks will strongly recommend but not required for staff and students.
The new rules cover students, faculty, staff, vendors, and visitors both inside school buildings and on school buses.
"While this decision will be celebrated by many of our families, we acknowledge that it is concerning to many others. I want to be clear: families and students will be supported in their masking decisions, and bullying or harassment will not be tolerated," City of Decatur Schools Superintendent Dr. Maggie Fehrman said in a letter to parents. "Families, please talk about this with your children and stress the importance of respecting the personal choice of others. I will also continue to wear a mask at all times when visiting schools."
The districts' decisions come as a bill supported by Gov. Brian Kemp that would let parents opt out of school mandates continues to advance through the Legislature.
SCHOOLS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UPDATE MASK POLICIES FOLLOWING NEW CDC RECOMMENDATIONS
In late February, the Senate Education and Youth Committee passed Senate Bill 514 by a vote of 7-5, sending it to the full Senate for more debate. The bill would allow Georgia public school parents to exclude their children from mask mandates
"Parents are the best decision makers when it comes to the health and education of their children," said the sponsor and Kemp floor leader, Sen. Clint Dixon of Buford. "This legislation ensures that those rights are not infringed upon by misguided policies."
Currently, the DeKalb County School District and the Clayton County School District still have mask mandates in place. Officials in DeKalb announced Tuesday that mask wearing will be strongly encouraged but not mandated for all staff students and visitors in DeKalb County schools starting on March 2.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.