Some local schools lift mask mandate after Pa. Supreme Court ruling

BENSALEM TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A Bucks County school district is among the first in the state to make masks optional following the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision to throw out the mandate for schools and child care facilities.

Bensalem School District Superintendent Samuel Lee posted a letter to the community Sunday night saying, "effective immediately, the mask mandate is vacated."

Bensalem says it will still require masks on buses. Additionally, if a student is unvaccinated or unmasked and is exposed to the virus, they will have to quarantine.

The decision is causing controversy among parents and students alike.

"I'm not very happy about it but my kids are going to wear the masks regardless," said Dhvani Patel, whose 12 and 17-year-old children both go to school in Bensalem.

"Every day I am on the emails checking what's the update on the schools? What's the COVID looking like?" she said.

SEE ALSO: Pennsylvania Supreme Court throws out mask mandate for schools

The practical impact of the decision will depend on which schools and school districts impose their own masking requirements.

"Even me, it's very difficult for me to wear a mask and breathe, so I don't know. I think it's a better idea for them to lift it up," said John Reeves, a parent from Northeast Philadelphia.

COVID cases across Pennsylvania are on the rise.

Bucks County has doubled its daily count in the past two weeks, now averaging about 357 cases a day.

The CDC says schools without a mask requirement are 3.5 times more likely to have a Covid outbreak than districts with a mask mandate.

"You have to err on the side of caution always if people's health is at risk. You know, you might be ok, but someone else might have a health risk," said Dawn Keaton, a parent from Yardley.

"How are they communicating with a mask on? How does a child feel comfortable learning if they have a mask on their face?" said parent, Justina Quirk.

On Sunday night, the Central Bucks School District announced that masks will be optional for students and staff beginning Monday.

While some schools are lifting the mandate, others are saying not so fast.

Upper Darby School District says all students and staff will still be required to mask up, but administrators will review the Supreme Court ruling this month.