The Indianola School District will have a new mask policy starting Monday, requiring masks for all students and staff in grades k-12. Superintendent Art Sathoff tells KNIA News the change in policy comes from the Iowa Department of Public Health changing contact tracing procedure, where students who have been in close proximity to a positive COVID-19 case will not have to be quarantined and miss school if they are wearing a mask. Sathoff also said he understands it is a divisive issue, but the change was made to help keep kids in school.

“I understand the people who really don’t want masks required. I think we have a strong sense of individual responsibility and choice in this country and state, and people feel like that choice has been taken away from them. At the same time, we have to try and balance what is best for our kids and our staff, and if you look at the virus activity it is on the rise again it seems like. And taking advantage of the new rules, the board felt like it was the best thing to do at this point.”

The change goes into effect on Monday.