Masks Required For Glenpool Public Schools 3rd - 12th Grade Students

Glenpool students from third to 12th grade will be required to wear a mask at school, starting Thursday. 

Kids from Pre-K through fourth grades were in distance learning last week because of an increase in COVID-19 cases. 

"I am glad that they are doing it, I feel like it’ll make our classrooms a lot safer and make the quarantine numbers go down so people can actually go to school and learn things," said Glenpool High School senior Lillian Compton. 

Compton said she's glad because she did school online last year, and it wasn't easy, so she wants schools to be able to stay in person. 

"It's been really, really hard for me, I failed a lot of my classes because of that, especially with my mom not being home and being sick, I was having to take care of her while doing my classes," she said. 

in a letter to parents, Glenpool Superintendent Curtis Layton said in part, "by implementing a masking requirement, we can reduce the number of close contact quarantines, reduce the spread of COVID-19, and increase our chance of maintaining in-person learning without interruption.”

Some parents in the district, however, are frustrated with the decision. 

"I understand that some people, some parents like the mask requirement and want people wearing masks, but likely so there are a lot of parents that disagree with that," said Glenpool parent Valerie. 

Valerie has a sixth grader and a kindergartener; she said it has been stressful balancing school with the pandemic. Ultimately, she believes her children wearing masks shouldn't be up to the district. 

"I think that it should be a parent's choice, I think that the health and safety of my children is up to me," she said. 

Parents can opt out of their child wearing a mask. Opt-out forms must be turned in to the school in person, and emailed forms will not be accepted. For more information, click here.