Lawton Public School’s Mandatory Mask Mandate has Expired

LPS (Lawton Public Schools) has expired their mandatory mask mandate for all Lawton area schools within the LPS district. The news came yesterday (05-24-21) that it will no longer be required for students, faculty or visitors to wear masks or face coverings while inside or outside school property. The mask mandate was originally put in place for all Lawton schools back in August of 2020 during the pandemic.

Things have improved greatly since then so school administrators along with local, state and Federal health agencies have given the green light to do away with mask mandates. Of course this has caused quite a bit of controversy and conversation already. Some say it's still too early, others say it's about time we did away with mask mandates.

Nothing says you can't still wear a mask if you want to, LPS has already addressed this. So, if you're nervous about it you can continue to wear a mask or face covering, it's up to you. With the numbers improving and more and more people getting vaccinated things are looking to return to somewhat normal. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) has updated their mask guidelines as well.

If you've been vaccinated you don't need to wear a mask or social distance, expect where required by local, state and federal law. Click here to review the updated CDC mask guidelines. When it comes to travel most will still require you to wear a mask if you're flying, taking a bus, train or boat. Even some employers are still asking that employees continue to wear masks, even if vaccinated.

When it comes to our schools and LPS allowing the mask mandate to expire a lot of people are asking about non-vaccinated staff and students. Will proof of vaccination be required? From what we can tell LPS is asking everyone to follow the CDC guidelines, which states only vaccinated people can resume activities without masks or social distancing. So, if you're not vaccinated you should continue wearing a mask and practicing social distancing until you're fully vaccinated. As far as checking for proof of vaccination there's nothing about that on their site or press releases.

Most students won't return to the classroom until the Fall. School just let out for Summer last week and most schools will be empty for the next 3 months or so. But, if you're going to Summer school or have a student enrolled in Summer school they won't be required to wear masks anymore. Visit the LPS official website for all the details and changes to the mask mandate.