Vast differences seen in COVID school policies across the nation

(CNN) A team of researchers is studying which policies help school districts trying to protect staff and students from COVID-19. They say it is still early in the school year, but policies that include masks and vaccines work, even if they can be controversial.

John Strycker serves as Jackson County, Mississippi Schools Superintendent. He said, “I’m confident in what we’re doing. And you know what? We meet every evening, and I can make a change at any moment. And I will make a change if I think it’s necessary.”

Superintendent Strycker’s COVID-19 plan at his schools is to keep pretty much every mitigation program you can think of voluntary. He says he’s chosen quality education over pandemic fear.
“We lost a teacher to COVID,” Strycker said. “And it broke our heart, I wept. It’s very hard on me but when I’m making my decisions I need to do the best I can as a leader to make non-emotional decisions.”

Reporter Evan McMorris-Santoro asked Strycker:” But your non-emotional decision is to do nothing? Right? That seems a little weird.”

Strycker replied, “I’m using the data. I feel our kids are safe in school relative to those other kids, with those options.”

There are around 9,000 students in the Jackson County, Mississippi, school district. Since school started August 5, the district reports an astonishing 6.4% student COVID cases. Strycker says the number is now trending down, slightly.

Dr. Smita Malhotra, Medical Director at the Los Angeles Unified School District, is running a program with a completely different approach from Jackson, Mississippi. She explained, “We have a robust and one of the largest testing programs in the nation, where we’re testing all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, every week.”

All adults inside Los Angeles schools are required to be vaccinated. Everyone is required to wear a mask. Los Angeles schools have been in session for almost three weeks. Just half of one percent of the students and staff tested were positive for COVID-19.

Dr. Daniel Benjamin is a pediatrician leading a team of researchers studying the pandemic and schools at Duke University. He said even though it’s early in the year, there’s enough data to suggest what works. “If a school district does not have a mandatory masking policy and is not quarantining thousands of people by the second week of school, then that school district is very likely being irresponsible as it relates to quarantine and exposure to people at school.”

Benjamin likes vaccine mandates for adults in education like the ones in Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington.

Some districts, like Fairfax, Virginia and New York City, have taken the extra measure of requiring many student-athletes to be vaccinated. Benjamin likes that one, too.

Lunchtime is a big worry, Benjamin said. When kids’ masks come off, Delta is on the menu. Portland Public Schools will serve meals outdoors “as much as possible” for elementary students. For older grades, Portland plans to keep meals short and try to spread kids out. But nothing is better than universal masking, Benjamin said. “If all your school activities are outside, and people are more than six feet apart, and you’re holding all of your classes outside and all of your lunch outside, Then you might be able to get away without masking.”

While experts say vaccination is a key form of protection, children under 12 are still not eligible for vaccines. Experts suggest in those cases the best protection is to make sure those around the children are vaccinated.