APPLETON, Wis. (NBC 26) — There was a pandemic-record 93 positive Covid cases among Appleton school district staff members on Monday.
"It's daunting," district parent Abbey Grosskreutz said. "It's scary. It kind of brings up everything I remember almost exactly two years ago… just a little bit further."
In late November, the AASD board voted to make masks optional in schools on Jan. 18. Appleton parents Grosskreutz want to keep mandatory face coverings for the foreseeable future.
"Not masking was not effective or helpful in any of the areas around us," she said.
And at a Monday night board meeting, members voted to extend the mask mandate until Feb. 17.
"I know I probably should be super concerned about the spread of this virus, but I honestly feel like this is potentially how this virus becomes endemic and we start to live through it," Appleton alder and former board candidate Sheri Hartzheim said.
Other parents like Hartzheim have been counting the days until face coverings are optional.
"In my estimation as my child's parent, it comes better to be in column of being mask optional," she said.
