![BESE Recommends Louisiana Schools Still Wear Masks For 2021](https://townsquare.media/site/180/files/2021/03/GettyImages-Classroom.jpg?w=980&q=75)
BESE Recommends Louisiana Schools Still Wear Masks For 2021
The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has issued a statement on their COVID-19 recommendations for the 2021-2022 academic year.
BESE says their recommendations are based on current medical knowledge of how COVID-19 is spread and how Louisiana schools can minimize transmission of the virus on their campuses.
They went on to explain that thier guidance is just a recommendation and that every school district is free to come up with and enact their own procedures for their students and staff.
BESE President Sandy Holloway released this statement regarding their recommendations:
The information recently published by the Louisiana Department of Education is provided as a resource for local districts and schools to use in establishing best practices for COVID-19 mitigation in the coming school year. These guidelines, based on the recommendations of the Louisiana Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, are not state-issued requirements, but recommendations for local K-12 leadership to consider in adopting their own opening plans for 2021-2022.
BESE has issued no mandates and approved no policies related to masking or distancing in schools for the coming year. Decisions regarding masking and other prevention measures are best made by those closest to our students, and Louisiana’s local school systems have the authority to develop COVID-19 policies appropriate for their communities.
To read the entire Louisiana Department of Education's updated “Ready to Achieve” COVID-19 guidance for the 2021-2022 academic year, click here.
READ MORE: 50 resources to help you educate your kids at home
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