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Some concerns being made over South Carolina giving parents option and Polk not

POLK COUNTY—Some parents have expressed concern recently that Polk County Schools is still requiring that students wear masks. 

The concerns stemmed after South Carolina recently gave parents the option of whether or not to make their children wear masks to school.

The Bulletin reached out to Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene this week, who said the requirement is the North Carolina Governor’s order. 

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper recently eased some restrictions on gatherings and other establishments, but the order specifically stated that masks were still required at some establishments indoors, including schools, hospitals and nursing homes, etc. 

“It’s the governor’s order,” Greene said. “We would be going against the governor’s order, which we cannot do.” 

Greene said the board of education and the school system has to go with the state’s orders. 

“Everybody is frustrated including the school system,” Greene said. “But at the end of the day we have to go by the rules we are given.” 

Polk County Schools are out for the summer on June 11. 

The school system also recently offered vaccines for students age 12 and above. Last Friday the first vaccine of Pzifer was given to students who chose to do so through the Polk County Department of Health and Human Services and Greene said that more than 80 students were vaccinated.