COEUR d’ALENE — The mask requirement is no more.

Coeur d'Alene School Board trustees, again split on the matter, voted 3-2 during a special workshop Monday evening to "strongly recommend" masks and face coverings for students in the Coeur d'Alene School District.

Trustee Casey Morrisroe made the motion, which was seconded by Trustee Tambra Pickford. Morrisroe, Pickford and Chair Jennifer Brumley voted in favor. Trustee Lisa May and Vice Chair Rebecca Smith voted no.

The board voted in the exact same fashion later in the meeting when deciding if masks should still be mandatory for teachers and staff.

The mask recommendations go into effect Wednesday.

To determine the district's COVID-19 risk level, Coeur d'Alene consults Panhandle Health District.

"To clarify, Panhandle still has us squarely in the midst of 'yellow?'" Smith asked Superintendent Steve Cook, who responded, "That's correct." The "yellow" designation indicates sustained community transmission of the virus with traditional learning in place in the schools.

Morrisroe said his biggest concern with Panhandle's matrix is to get to the slight "green" category, it's one positive COVID case per 100,000 people, "and it certainly seems like we will never be at one case for every 100,000."

"I feel like we need to move at some point," he said. "And I don't think anyone wants to see a continuation of this school year next year. So I would like to see us move in that direction."

Brumley said if the district is going to make this move, now is the time. However, she still strongly encourages students and teachers to wear masks. As the mother of a senior who could miss prom, finals and graduation, she said she understands the implications of this decision.

"This is a significant decision for me on a personal level," she said. "I say that because it's not personal; this is about the whole."

Morrisroe again led the charge when the board was ready to vote on district administration's ability to change the mask policy when necessary. This would be if COVID clusters or outbreaks appear and bring a school's population to a 2-4.99% threshold of active cases, per the Building COVID Tracker that can be found on the school's website.

This vote was unanimous.

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