By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich-Just say, no thank you to masks this fall.
Thanks the message several parents expressed on Monday night at the Goodrich School Board meeting following a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announcement that recommended continued COVID protocol when school starts this fall.
“I know there has been a lot of chatter about wearing or not wearing a face mask as we come into next year,” said Wayne Wright, district superintendent. “We still meet weekly with the health department to discuss the requirements, recommendations and guidelines from the Genesee County Health Department and the Michigan Department Health Human Services.”
“With the reduction in the new COVID-19 cases, both in the county and the state, the GCHD is making mask (requirements) for K-12 school settings optional but strongly recommended,” he said. “With this last information we will no longer require masks to be worn by the staff and students during the summer school programs. However, those more comfortable wearing masks may continue to do so.”
Masks must still be worn for bus rides to and from school, field trips that are on buses and on extracurricular activities according to federal requirements.
“Case rates within the county and the spread of variants of concern will continue to be monitored by the health department and masking orders may be reinstated if there is an increased risk to the community,” he said. “I know some schools have sent out letters requiring not wearing masks for next year. I think those letters are a little premature. I don’t plan on sending out the letter until later in the summer and we are more comfortable.”
The Goodrich School District was only one of two districts in the county that went five days a week and a full school day.
“My recommendation will be what is best for Goodrich,” said Wright.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS issued a statement on June 25.
“I am pleased with the progress of our vaccination efforts in Michigan, with 56 percent of Michiganders aged 12 and older having received at least their first dose of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. Khaldun.
“These vaccines are the reason transmission of the virus in Michigan is at the lowest point in a year. However, as the school environment brings together large groups of individuals who may not yet be vaccinated, MDHHS is issuing this guidance to help protect Michiganders of all ages.”
The guidance includes: promoting COVID-19 vaccination for eligible staff and students; correctly and consistently using well-fitted masks; social distancing; COVID-19 screening testing and contact tracing.
Several parents attending the school board meeting on Monday addressed the board over the COVID recommendations. Kristen Scott, is a Goodrich resident with a student in middle school this fall.
“We are grateful to the board for making the school year as normal as possible,” said Scott. “The MDHSS recommendation that came out on Friday just blew my mind. The MDHSS wants to impose restrictions on our kids that no one else has to undergo. All of us are in this room with no masks, whether or not we are vaccinated.”
“But what do we know about COVID a year later?” she said. “We know children are very unlikely to be infected with it, or become seriously ill with COVID or suffer death. In over 4 million cases of kids having COVID in the United States, between .1 and 1.9 percent resulted in hospitalization, not death. Our kids are more likely to die from suicide, flu, car accident or a whole host of other things.”
“That’s a good thing we should be celebrating, instead the MDHSS is coming out with recommendations that make no sense. These are just recommendations, we don’t have to adopt these, I’m here to just urge you to say no thank you.”