ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Several Northern California school districts have dropped school mask mandates in recent weeks, but could there be repercussions?
The Roseville Joint Union High School District (RJUHSD) voted on Feb. 10 to adopt a mask-optional policy, which began on Feb. 15, despite a statewide masking mandate for schools still in effect until at least Monday, Feb. 28.
Two days after the mask-optional policy went into effect at RJUHSD, Schools Insurance Group (SIG) sent out a letter to the district. According to Cindy Wilkerson, the Executive Director of SIG, the letter was sent in response to the "perceived deviation from compliance with the current masking mandate." She wrote the group is working with the district to help them understand this policy could make the district and individual board members vulnerable to liability that may not be covered by SIG.
"We are working with legal counsel to better understand requirements under governing documents and how that translates to consequences for the District. Involuntary termination is one of the consequences being considered," Wilkerson wrote in the letter.
While she wrote termination was an "extreme action," she said it may be required by SIG's governing documents.
Wilkerson told ABC10 the discussions between SIG and the district are ongoing and no decision has been made.
"Administrators are doing the best they can to navigate their politically polarized school communities while remaining focused on providing the best education possible to their students," Wilkerson wrote in an email.
RELATED: Parents and students crowd a Roseville school district board meeting to protest mask mandate
Roseville City School District (RCSD) Board of Trustees voted on changing the mask enforcement policy at its schools at a special meeting Monday night.
Michele Perrault, a spokesperson for RCSD, told ABC10 the board directed the district to "continue enforcing the state’s mask guidelines while ensuring every student is allowed in-person learning by not excluding any student from any school facility, classroom, activity, or event for not wearing a mask."
It is not clear how RCSD will be enforcing the mask mandate while allowing students who do not wear masks to participate at school.
Wilkerson said for some of the issues, they will have to see how discussions and situations progress.
"These are unsettled times, and we are all doing the best we can considering the circumstances," Wilkerson wrote in an email.
RCSD will continue requiring staff and adult volunteers to wear masks indoors at school.
On Monday, Feb. 28, the state is expected to reassess the data and conditions and consider future changes to statewide school masking.
READ MORE:
Watch more on ABC10
