Cobb Co. School District Sticks With ‘Mask Optional’ Policy, Defying Medical Experts

Parents who want Cobb to mandate masks in schools held up signs urging the district to follow science and CDC guidelines.

Martha Dalton

A House Divided

Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale says masks will remain optional in the district even as the number of COVID-19 cases in Georgia and the county continue to rise. Ragsdale made the announcement at a school board meeting Thursday, to the delight of some parents in attendance.

“Mandatory masking is not without a cost,” Ragsdale said.

His comments came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended all school staff and students over the age of two wear masks. Additionally, 240 Cobb physicians sent a letter to Ragsdale and the board urging them to adopt a mask mandate.