Parents: Requirement divides them

Chapin and Irmo parents and faculty say they are confused by Richland County’s mask mandate.

District 5 school officials have said their district is in Lexington and Richland counties and mask mandates will not be enforced,

Richland County Council has imposed a mandate requiring masks in businesses and schools.

But District 5 administrators say the governor, the county and the school board all have different mask policies.

Parents told WIS-TV that they feel like the mask mandate has divided the county.

“We’re caught in the mid dle of political theater split on party lines and it puts a lot of people in a bad place,” a parent, Jason Valek, said.

Richland County’s Beverly Harris told WIS the primary goal is safety, not fines, and the county will not go into schools and issue citations to children.

Harris said no county authority will approach a child about the ordinance and that the council hasn’t directed staff to issue fines.

District officials said they will not assist or impede the enforcement of the mask mandate by the Fire Marshal’s Office.

They also said they don’t mandate masks but strongly encourage them.