On Tuesday, April 27, the Coffee County school board held an emergency meeting to vote on the previously established mask mandate for Coffee County Schools.

This mask mandate has been in effect since Aug. 10, 2020.

This was in response to Tenn. governor Bill Lee whose announcement earlier that day required public entities to no longer enforce specific COVID-19 policies.

Many community members attended the board meeting in favor of rescinding the mandate.

The board meeting had two agenda items; the second was a vote on keeping or getting rid of CCSS’s mask mandate.

The school board voted 5-0 to rescind the mask mandate.

Board members Dr. Gary Nester, Mr. Brett Henley, Mr. Robert Gilley, Mrs. Freda K. Jones, and Mr. Pat Barton were all in attendance for this vote.

This became in effect on Wednesday, April 28, and allowed students, faculty, and guests in the school buildings to option to wear or to not wear a mask.

Coffee County High School will still provide masks to those who wish to wear one, but they will not be enforced to do so.