Back to School: Mask requirement & students with health or cognitive disabilities?

[aristocatz]

If you have a child with a health or cognitive impairment & your district is having in-person learning this school year, is your district requiring all children to wear masks, even if they have a health or cognitive disability that impedes their ability to wear a mask?

 

[design_mom]

I do not have a child with a disability but watched our district's presentation earlier this week. The plan includes masks for all students. However, they said there would be an appeal process in place for students who can't wear masks.

 

[lanejudy]

I was just looking over the info that has been released to-date. As of right now (approx. 6 weeks from 1st day) - yes, masks will be required of all individuals who enter a school building. The only exception I found pertained to having a conversation with a person who needs to read lips. Though I did find one reference that gave me the impression a face shield may be considered adequate for some students with documented disabilities or health care needs. But there was a flowchart which indicated a Remote Learning Plan would be necessary if adequate face covering and physical distancing can't be followed. I think it's still early and finer details haven't been clarified - especially relating to special education.

 

[lanejudy]

I am shifting this to the disABILITIES Community Forum since it doesn't pertain to trip planning.

Please stick to the topic - what is/will be required at your school(s). No debate. No arguing for or against.

 

[DLgal]

If you have a child with a health or cognitive impairment & your district is having in-person learning this school year, is your district requiring all children to wear masks, even if they have a health or cognitive disability that impedes their ability to wear a mask?

Our district will exempt students who meet that criteria if they cannot wear masks.

 

[JM23457]

If you have a child with a health or cognitive impairment & your district is having in-person learning this school year, is your district requiring all children to wear masks, even if they have a health or cognitive disability that impedes their ability to wear a mask?

A mask or face shield is required for in-person schooling in our district. No exceptions.

 

[Bjkandma]

So far we are doing a hybrid plan. All students grade 6-12 will require masks at all times when in building s. Students k-5_ masks are to be worn in hallways, restrooms and where 6ft social distancing can be,achieved. Some students going Monday and tuesday, everyone home Wednesday (remote learning). Other half students Thursday and Friday in school instruction. High school students taking AP classes at colleges. Testing in person next week. Family meeting online August 10 and 12th. Orientation "zoom meetings", 3 days 24-25-26 from noon to two, for high school.

 

[DisneyElite4]

Our district is exempting special needs students. My son goes to a private school that serves both special needs and typical students. Masks are not required by students, but highly recommended. Fortunately, after weeks of working on it, my son does awesome with it. This school has been open the entire duration of the pandemic.

 

[Smittolis]

Most local school districts are starting in a remote setting from home. 'If' they were starting in school teaching it would begin with a hybrid scenario 2 days per week with the other half of the school coming in on a different 2 day schedule with all students off 1 day per week for distance learning. For Special Education children, there are some touch points with in person instruction in small groups, however, they would need to be monitored and with a mask. Alternatively, any parent can choose to fully homeschool / distance teach their child and be part of a school district wide network. This has a different admin structure and is not with the kids in the local school but district wide. Kind of weird but also interesting.

I personally will be starting back on a hybrid model and all staff and students will be expected to wear a mask, no exceptions. For those that cannot, they will be required to wear one or they can exercise their option of remote learning from home. We live stream all classes anyway so it is not necessarily a big deal unless you are someone that doesn't like working on a computer.

Given all the constant battles with teachers unions about the conditions to come back, I don't see this being an issue that is resolved quickly. So most will simply adopt a remote learning model.

My fear is that those that have the abilities to get tutors and extra help will excel (which is great!) but it will simply further drive the gap between those that have and those that do not. Sadly, a whole bunch of special needs kids are going to find themselves a few years behind when they graduate simply due to circumstance.

 

[mamabunny]

Where we are, it's all over the place. We have some districts with a full-on "back to regular learning" plan, others have a hybrid plan, some with a "pick virtual or in person" plan, and 1 really creative district with a "red/blue" plan where kids attend school every other day based on the color of the group they are assigned.

But all of them have made it very clear that masks are mandatory for everyone. Any child who needs an "exemption" will be virtually schooled.

 

[Mleach]

Our special needs kid can't distance learn, so to meet the IEP she will attend school 5 days a week. Wearing a mask will be a skill they'll work on, but she will be able to attend school even if she can't wear it.
If anyone has a kid with a multi disability IEP whom is being denied in person learning, please message me if you need assistance in speaking with the district.
It is possible that some of you are not familiar with the exceptions to mask wearing in your district because this group of kids is very small, and regular district communications usually don't address the plans for these kids; they are communicated on a one-to-one basis.

 

[Mamabun]

Our district has several exceptions, including anyone who has developmental disabilities that make it impossible to wear a mask, or oddly enough ‘anyone whose parents cannot safely get them to wear a mask’. Unfortunately, I feel in person learning is key to success for many special needs kids, however, other than saying masks will be optional for these kids, the district has given no info, so lots of parents had to choose remote or not, and with that little info, no one felt the kids were going to be safe - we‘re having a pretty decent spike right now. So lots of parents here saying remote school, even though that simply will not work. It’s depressing for sure, these kids are being underschooled if remote, or put in notable danger if inperson, no good choice for them.

 

[lanejudy]

We have a little more detail released by the school district yesterday, and it includes this statement:

Students will be required to wear face masks unless documentation is provided by a physician that it poses a health risk to the student. Adapted face coverings, assistive technology and other supports will be provided, as determined necessary by the IEP team, in order to ensure the proper ability to communicate and receive services.​

I haven't had an opportunity to speak with anyone directly to know how lenient they will be or what alternatives may be allowed. We've been working with DD trying various styles of face mask, and I think she'll be OK. She's high school now; I suspect they'll have more issues at the lower grades.

I should probably also mention that we are in a state with a mask requirement in general anytime we leave the home. The Governor did say that those with a "medical or developmental condition" are exempt, however businesses and other entities can deny service or entry to anyone not wearing a mask.

 

[shelleyF]

Our special needs kid can't distance learn, so to meet the IEP she will attend school 5 days a week. Wearing a mask will be a skill they'll work on, but she will be able to attend school even if she can't wear it.
If anyone has a kid with a multi disability IEP whom is being denied in person learning, please message me if you need assistance in speaking with the district.
It is possible that some of you are not familiar with the exceptions to mask wearing in your district because this group of kids is very small, and regular district communications usually don't address the plans for these kids; they are communicated on a one-to-one basis.

Hi, im from Ohio, my daughter has a disability and an iep. in a group im in they were saying how i can insist that it be incorporated into her iep plan that my child is exempt from wearing a mask or face shield while in school. Do you know how I can go about doing this? i just found out that i can call a iep mtg at any time, outside the yearly one. I want to contact them, not sure how to go about it. and do they have to put that in if im requesting it? do i need to show why? i dont want to request it, and they shoot me down when i possibly have rights to doing so. the more im seeing they are doing what they want, and what they say we just go with it because we/I don't know the "rules" TIA Shelley

 

[lanejudy]

Yes, you can request an IEP team meeting at any time. Contact your child’s case manager or special ed teacher; preferably in writing (email rather than phone call or text). Explain you’d like a team meeting and the basic reason (i.e. “To discuss new issues that have developed since she last attended school in-person”). If the teachers have not yet returned, the meeting may need to wait until then.

You can request any change but I would expect pushback if you can’t provide proof of need for the request. I suggest a letter from your child’s pediatrician and/or any specialist or therapist who can speak to the situation/need (beyond just what you report to them). I’d expect they may add a goal around working with her on facemask or PPE needs. Good luck!