KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new state law prevented the Raymore-Peculiar School Board from extending its mask mandate.
The board voted 4-1 to extend the mandate at its special meeting Thursday night.
Moments after the vote, a school district official told the board Missouri House Bill 271 required a supermajority of votes to extend the mandate.
Only five board members attended the meeting.
Board member Paul Coffman, who cast the dissenting vote, gave a passionate speech before the vote urging district patrons not to let the COVID-19 crisis divide the community.
"We all love our community and we love our kids," Coffman said. "We want the best for this school district."
Coffman praised his fellow board members and reminded the audience the board only wants the best for their kids.
Parents with children in the district were strongly opposed to the district's mask mandate.
Most felt it was up to each parent to decide whether their children should wear a mask.
A representative from the Cass County Health Department told the board the department is seeing a lot more COVID-19 cases.
Most of the children are exposed to the virus outside of school and bring it to their school buildings, according to the health department.
Thursday's unusual vote changed a universal masking requirement approved by the board on Aug. 20.
The next school board meeting is on Sept. 23.
