LAGRANGE, Ky. — Last week, Kentucky lawmakers voted to end the statewide mask mandate in public schools, leaving the decision up to local school boards.
What You Need To Know
- Last week, Kentucky lawmakers voted to end the statewide mask mandate in public schools
- Oldham County Schools are still requiring students, staff and visitors to wear masks
- Mask-wearing decisions will be left up to local school boards
- The matter is personal for the Boucher family
For the Boucher family, going to school wasn't an option for their youngest of two, Wyatt.
“The biggest thing is that his lungs have been affected by all of his genetic conditions. So, he has COPD or poor airway clearance, asthma. He's on a full cystic fibrosis protocol that we follow in the home,” Rebecca Boucher, Wyatt’s mom, said.
Wyatt, who would’ve been enrolled as a third-grader at Locust Grove Elementary School, is now homebound due to COVID-19. The family turned one of their extra rooms in their basement into a classroom, where a general education teacher comes to the house to work one on one with Wyatt. Both Wyatt and his teachers wear masks during their sessions.
With a compromised immune system, the Boucher family takes extra precautions for the health and safety of Wyatt.
“Whenever he gets sick, it's really hard because he gets hospitalized, and we don't want to spread any more germs. So we wear the masks to keep him from having COVID, the flu and RSV and a bunch of different viruses that could weaken his body,” Zoe Boucher, Wyatt’s sister, said.
Zoe Boucher, an eighth-grader at East Oldham Middle School understands the importance of mask-wearing, especially in school.
“I'm always trying to be aware of where we're at and who he’s by and if they have a mask on or not in the stores, and if they don’t, I try to get him away from them,” Zoe said.
For Oldham County Schools, their decision came not even a day after the state's announcement. The school board posted via Facebook that even with the approval of Senate Bill 1, their policy still stands and will require students and staff to wear masks inside Oldham County Schools, which the Boucher family supports.
“It allows the kids to stay in school that are able to be in school, and yeah, it's an additional tool for our family and for the school,” Rebecca said.
Masks will also be required for all visitors inside Oldham County Schools.