On Wednesday, the EVIT Governing Board voted to give students and staff the choice in whether to wear masks or not, discontinuing the requirement that masks be worn on campus. The board’s decision follows Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive order this week lifting a previous mandate that schools develop and implement a policy to require face coverings for all staff and students over the age of 5 to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

While masks will no longer be required on EVIT campuses, any student or staff who wish to wear a mask may do so. Everyone’s situation is different. This is a personal decision that will be respected and honored by everyone at EVIT.

In addition, the Governing Board directed administration to continue following EVIT’s other safety protocols: Safe distancing, extra cleaning procedures, smaller class sizes when appropriate, posting the weekly COVID update on the EVIT website, and the requirement that all students and staff do a self-check every morning for COVID-19 symptoms – and stay home if they feel ill.

The board took this action after considering comments and surveys of students, parents and staff that showed a majority wanted the mask mandate to be lifted.

Parents (1,069 surveyed):

“EVIT's mask requirement should continue even if the governor lifts the mandate.”

Strongly Agree -- 28.44%

Agree -- 5.80%

Neither agree nor disagree -- 4.30%

Disagree -- 11.41%

Strongly Disagree -- 50.05%

34.24 percent of EVIT parents agree or strongly agree EVIT's mask requirement should continue, while 61.46 percent disagree or strongly disagree.

Students (992 surveyed):

“EVIT's mask requirement should continue even if the governor lifts the mandate.”

Strongly Agree -- 30.14%

Agree -- 9.48%

Neither agree nor disagree -- 5.85%

Disagree -- 7.86%

Strongly Disagree -- 46.67%

39.62 percent of EVIT students agree or strongly agree EVIT's mask requirement should continue, while 54.53% percent disagree or strongly disagree.

Staff (169 surveyed):

“EVIT's mask requirement should continue even if the governor lifts the mandate.”

Strongly Agree -- 28.40%

Agree -- 14.79%

Neither agree nor disagree -- 13.02%

Disagree -- 12.43%

Strongly Disagree -- 31.36%

43.19 percent of EVIT staff agree or strongly agree EVIT's mask requirement should continue, while 43.79% percent disagree or strongly disagree.

Weekly COVID updates can be found at www.evit.com/covid19.