COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Friday, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reported the highest cases of COVID-19 since February, and hospitalizations are on the rise for children.
The City of Columbia's Mayor, Steve Benjamin placed a state of emergency declaration on the city which requires all elementary and middle schools to wear face coverings. This mandate only covers part of the Richland One school district.
"Right now, it’s just a really confusing time for school districts because [of] the proviso that was put in place about state dollars," said Cheryl Harris, vice chairwoman of the Richland One School District. "However, there are federal dollars that we received."
Harris said the district plans on expanding the City of Columbia's mask mandate to schools outside the city limits. She said 12 schools apart of the district don't fall under the city's declaration.
With the state proviso that bans schools from using state-appropriated funding to impose a mask mandate, Harris said the district may have found a way to expand the ordinance to the whole district.
"With the Cares Act, which allows us those 15 areas that we can purchase equipment, PPE equipment to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus," Harris said.
State Senator Darrell Jackson said school districts are exempted from the proviso as long as they don't use state funds to specifically pay for masks and impose a mandate. If a school district places a mask mandate, they will lose state funding, according to the proviso.
"Districts can use federally-appropriated funds, which are not state funds," Sen. Jackson said. "Or try to use private funds. I think they are exempt from the proviso because they are not using state funds."
Senator Jackson said that taking the funds away from the school doesn't hurt the administration, but it hurts the classrooms and the students.
"If the state of South Carolina that wants to be the entity that takes money out of the classroom because schools officials are doing everything they can to make schools safer, then I would tell them go for it," Sen. Jackson said. "Because that is crazy, that makes us look ridiculous, and I can not imagine anybody living with themselves, hurting children because others are trying to keep them safe."
Harris said the board will discuss the possibility of using federal funds and community monetary donations at their next meeting on Tuesday.