accounts, the history behind an article. Share with Us. Don't knowingly lie about anyone One of the most polarizing issues in Scottsdale Unified and most other school districts likely wont be going away any time soon after a judge ruled the ban on mask mandates and a slew of other measures passed by Republican legislators unconstitutional. "Last night our governing board members voted unanimously to require masks throughout the district. See below for details on the ways to ensure your visit in Scottsdale is as safe as it is enjoyable. Folks, this is getting away from us, Hart-Wells said. person will not be tolerated. Although the Centers for Disease Control said on July 9 that vaccinated students and staff don't need masks in schools, another measure by the Legislature forbids districts from requiring COVID vaccinations or a mask for in-classroom instruction. Several protesting parents stressed the struggle Scottsdale's youngest students face learning phonics and socializing when they cant see the faces of their teachers or their peers. Sign up for free today. It didn't see numbers like that last year, when students were required to wear masks, Menzel said, although he admitted that the more contagious delta variant played a factor in the spread. 2023 Experience Scottsdale All rights reserved, Top 10 Signature Scottsdale Spouse Programs, Canadian Meetings FAM - Attendee Registration, Keeping Scottsdales tourism industry strong, Increasing International Flight Service a Win for Scottsdale, Scottsdales Culinary Scene Earns National Acclaim, Kickstarting Scottsdale Tourisms Recovery, Limited Service and Moderate Hotel Strategy Session, Scottsdale Experiential Development Applicationcottsdale, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Arizona Department of Health Services maintains a list of such sites, city of Scottsdale has information on additional sites throughout the city. Despite that, some did get sick, forcing the closure of the store. for your purchases. I have had friends die of COVID, Osborne said. Ducey didnt respond to news of SUSDs mask mandate. State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R-Scottsdale) responded to parents concerned over SUSDs decision to break state law with a mask mandate. I would think that based on these arguments these states would have dead people piled up all over their state because no one else would be living because no one has masks on, Chaplik continued. That means only a stay by an appellate court can stop school districts from keeping mask requirements in place. For more than a month, there has been an ongoing debate between Ducey on one hand and some school districts, including Tempe Union and Kyrene, on the other over whether that ban has been in effect since he signed it into law in June. Weve passed all of this into law, and it will not change. Rain. The mandates reversal comes as COVID-19 case numbers which had been on the decline could again be on the rise. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Threats of harming another Will Humble, executive director for the Arizona Public Health Association, said he doesnt believe the rescinded mandate will be the driving force behind case increases because the mandates were ignored by many and had little enforcement. "Unfortunately, today's decision is the result of a rogue judge interfering with the authority and processes of another branch of government.''. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Be Proactive. Your health is the highest priority at Scottdale-area airports, from the moment you land until you depart for home. The data showed that new cases per 100,000 residents nearly doubled from 33 to 60 from the end of June to the beginning of July. or anything. The all-Republican LD 23 delegation, which covers much of the rest of the city, voted for the measure. Sign up for free today. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane issued an emergency proclamation requiring individuals age 6 or older to wear face coverings in public. Please be patient and kind to staff at our local businesses as they learn and adapt to new procedures. It also showed that percent positivity on COVID-19 tests increased from 3.33 percent from June 20 to 26 to 5.42 percent from June 27 to July 3. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Her argument has the support of state Superintendent of Public Schools Kathy Hoffman, who on Friday cited a new Centers for Disease Control study that showed the efficacy of masks in curbing COVID-19 infections in schools. Nationally, the overall full vaccination rate is 43.7 percent and those who have received one shot comprise 51 percent of the nation's eligible population. Duceys executive order did not impact schools. accounts, the history behind an article. In his pleadings with Arizonans to get vaccinated, he stated that the vaccines made mandates unnecessary. They feel like a promise has been broken.. The largest spike was in 85259, which had 82 new cases per 100,000 from March 21 to March 27, up from 43 the week prior. Briana Santiago has three children attending Scottsdale Unified schools, one each in sixth grade, third grade and kindergarten. The bill gives business owners the right to make a decision.. Several parents attempted to share their feelings about the mask mandate during the public comment portion of a public hearing that the school board held prior to the discussion and vote on the mask requirement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends face coverings based on personal preference and personal level of risk. We are able and capable of making the best decisions for our families, Solem said. Quarantine requirements for close contacts are set by the Maricopa County Public Health Department. There was a specific question regarding whether [the CDC order] applied to school buses [] the CDC confirmed that the order applies to school buses, whether they are operated by the district or by a private provider, wrote SUSD. If there ever was a better argument for school choice the Democrats are making it now! Corporate media seeks stories that serve its own interests. Humble agreed that vaccination rate among seniors is good news. Both Kyrene and Tempe Union announced they will keep theirs in place as well. Never miss an issue. Students are not required to wear masks while waiting at a bus stop or after they disembark, and drivers are not required to wear masks if not students are on the bus.. Noting there are about 610,000 children under 12 in Arizona who are not eligible for a vaccine, Harrell said the Legislatures decision puts them in harms way., And thats unacceptable, she said. Ducey press aide C.J. Now, theyre saying no, school districts cant be making that decision at all; it is the health officials, Greenburg said. Though Gov. accounts, the history behind an article. Osborne also said there are other mandates on business that are accepted, like having sprinklers and fire extinguishers. For more information on preventing the spread of COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maricopa County Department of Public Health and Arizona Department of Health Services. From campus-style resorts to a lush Sonoran Desert landscape thats ripe for exploration, Scottsdale is the ideal choice if youre looking for a getaway that allows you room to roam. or anything. Sign up for free today. or anything. "It's just a behavior we have to change and try and stay safe.". We'd love to hear eyewitness The measure prohibiting mask mandates at schools was added to the annual spending plan late in the legislative session to win the votes of a handful of Republican lawmakers who said they wouldnt support the $12,8 billion spending plan absent that provision. that is degrading to another person. Maricopa County is expected to vote on whether to extend their mandate on Oct. 7. Desai told Cooper that the larger and legally binding reason she should declare the provision banning mask mandates illegal is that it was tucked into a bill simply labeled a "budget reconciliation'' measure. Threats of harming another These kids expected to go to school this year without forced masking, she said. The legislation prohibited schools from requiring masks during school hours or on any school property. Heidi Vega, spokeswoman for the Arizona School Boards Association, said, As far as the ban on masks, we think the biggest thing to emphasize is that now with variants causing concerns, it will be on the Legislature to deal with the debate over masks. accounts, the history behind an article. LaBaer called Duceys decision premature. The Biden administration has promised to fund districts in other states that have been financially penalized for imposing mask mandates but has not made much of Arizonas ban beyond some initial threats weeks ago. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, "Together these requirements promote transparency and the public's access to information about legislative action,'' she wrote. Board member Zach Lindsay voted against the mandate. All Inclusive! Low near 40F. Face coverings still are required in most public places in Scottsdale due to Maricopa County's mask mandate. "It makes people confused and it's coming at the worst possible time. Low near 40F. Chance of rain 100%. That says that were at the very minimum stabilized; I think well have to keep watching it to see if that becomes a solid upward trend, he added. Governor Doug Ducey rescinded local mask mandates in March, but masks will still be required in schools and City of Scottsdale buildings and facilities, including the citys libraries. @ScottsdaleUSD sat on this announcement as long as they could. Threats of harming another Rain. However, unvaccinated people will still be required to wear masks indoors, the governor wrote. High 61F. You have permission to edit this article. High 61F. Republican Rep. Joseph Chaplik, sponsor of HB 2770, said it would give businesses the choice of whether to enforce the mandates many communities already have adopted and that said consumers then would have the option of deciding if they want to do business there. "Our tracking of COVID-19 cases on our campuses since the new school year began shows that the mask requirement that went into effect August 20 has been a successful part of our layered mitigation strategies to reduce virus transmission at our schools, keep students learning in person. The district cut off those parents, who called in to make their comments since the meeting was closed to the public and only viewable via YouTube. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Scottsdale was one of the first cities in the state to adopt a mandate in June after Governor Doug Ducey issued an order allowing them to put their own mask requirements in place. racist or sexually-oriented language. person will not be tolerated. The issue came to a head at an SUSD school board meeting on May 18 when a group of unruly attendees including some Scottsdale parents as well as outside groups like the conservative Patriot Party of Arizona and Purple for Parents refused to wear masks, prompting the board to suspend the meeting. Its dangerous in that it just spreads so much easier but once you get it, its not worse than Alpha.. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed an appeal to uphold four bills that were also shot down in the ruling of the state's attempted ban on mask mandates. You have permission to edit this article. This bill is simply about not making 16-year-old waiters and waitresses police officers enforcing a criminal mask statute, he said. Now, she said, the use of hospital and intensive-care beds is way down, and Christ said many of the people who are most at risk, meaning the elderly, already have been vaccinated. He said the district will continue to implement other mitigation measures and stay in communication with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Cooper also said if lawmakers try to enforce the provisions she declared unconstitutional, she will issue further orders. New Mayor David Ortega wasted little Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, In the wake of the decision, crowds have flooded back to Old Town Scottsdale, where social media posts show maskless throngs of young people have filled many clubs in the area to pre-pandemic levels. The move followed the governors decision in April to rescindthe order mandating masks in schools. Please note that yesterdays order did not address the mitigation efforts that are required by public and charter schools and did nothing to undo what we, as a school district are required to dowith regard to wearing face masks by students and staff while at school, read a letter to parents by Scottsdale Unified School District on March 26. And that could result in difficulty in getting approval of future controversial measures. Rain. Afirst-term Scottsdale legislator convinced colleagues last week to let businesses ignore mask mandates to stem the spread of COVID by arguing that they werent needed decades ago to stop the spread of AIDS. In a letter sent to parents and staff, SUSD's leadership team said its decision stemmed from the district's belief in following the Centers for Disease Control's advice on preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. But he said Ducey should have left the mandates in place for another six to eight weeks, at least until a larger percentage of young people are vaccinated because they are transmitting it to others who are dying.. that is degrading to another person. Amandatory mask mandate issued by Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane in June will remain in place indefinitely pending further review by the mayors office. Monday's ruling does more than void the challenged sections of the laws. Any districts that currently have mask mandates can repeal them by August 27 to be eligible for the funding. Keep it Clean. Be Truthful. "Unless the laws challenged in this case are declared unconstitutional and enjoined, a great many children in Arizona will get COVID-19, they will get sick, they will suffer from long COVID, they will be hospitalized, and they may die,'' Roopali Desai told Cooper. Periods of rain early. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. SCOTTSDALE, AZ Scottsdale Unified School District joined others in the state in continuing with its mask mandate, in spite of Gov. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, cannot be spread by air. We'd love to hear eyewitness Students started off last school year virtually. Scottsdale lawmaker: Masks werent needed for AIDS, By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. We'd love to hear eyewitness Though Ducey took away the power to impose mask mandates, Scottsdales will remain in effect in city buildings and facilities for the foreseeable future, according to a statement issued by the city. Scottsdale Unified required masks right up to the end of the school year. The district counters in its statement to parents and staff that most of the district's ZIP codes are in the 'substantial' transmission category. Lane eventually allowed Scottsdales mandate to lapse in September in favor of the countys regulations, but new Mayor David Ortega reinstated the citys mandate when he took office in January. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Please contact individual businesses directly if you would like to know more. International travelers can use the CDC Travel Assessmentto prepare for travel. "We are 28 school days from the end of the 2020-2021 school year, and while we know there are people who would like us to remove the mask requirement now, SUSD's 15 ZIP codes remain in the substantial transmission category and the number of cases has been slowly increasing over the past few weeks," SUSD's statement reads. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Low near 40F. Don't Threaten. Rep. Diego Rodriguez, D-Phoenix, said Chaplik is wrong in arguing that mask mandates are an example of government overreach. 28,961 were here. In fact, its reprehensible.. Solem trusted that the district would follow through on what she said were multiple promises it made over the summer to ensure that masks would be optional. Yet no masks were required.. Chance of rain 100%.. Cloudy. Watch a non-stop stream of breaking news, live events and stories across the nation. Scottsdale was one of the first cities in the state to adopt a mandate in June after Governor Doug Ducey issued an order allowing them to put their own mask Scottsdale Unified officials cited the ruling in announcing that "SUSD will continue to require masks for students and staff while indoors on our campuses and other Protester and Scottsdale Unified parent Sara Solem said that her 8-year-old child was in tears when the family learned that the district was considering reinstating a mask mandate. Stating the decision "is consistent with the recommendations of" county, state and federal health officials," SUSD officials noted that "community transmission of COVID remains at an elevated level.". Today was the date that Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Randall Warner in August determined was the effective date for the ban. Be Proactive. SUSD will still continue to encourage those who have not been vaccinated to wear a mask while on district property, but ultimately, the decision is up to each individual and family.. "I don't agree with it. Masks are not mandated in Arizona, but hotels, restaurants, retails store and attractions may encourage or require them. Students who choose to ride the bus, along with SUSD bus drivers, will be required to wear masks while on the bus. So far, the district has seen 95 positive cases on its campuses. Scottsdale Mayor, Jim Lane, has ordered the city's mask mandate to end. Never miss an issue. Cobb and her two district colleagues had joined the Mohave County Board of Supervisors in sending a letter to the governor in May of last year that demanded he lift restrictions on businesses. We are entering fall season when we know people are going to be indoors and we are starting to see rising number of cases in university systems," Dr. Jackson said. The mask debate is picking up again, this time in Scottsdale. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Cobb also appeared before Kingman City Council to criticize its mask mandate in September, according to the Mohave Valley Daily News, which quoted her as telling officials: I have heard from many local citizens of how divisive this proclamation has been to our community. Keep it Clean. Its official, masks required on buses! Scottsdale Unified required masks right up to the end of the school year. She said that's backed by evidence that shows not just an increasing number of cases among children now one out of every four in Maricopa County but also that schools with mask mandates have a lower rate of infection than those without. We'd love to hear eyewitness or anything. 15-342.05) from requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID. Be Truthful. Keep it Clean. "Extending the mask requirement until after Fall Break affords the opportunity to see what impact that time away from school has on school cases and to make appropriate decisions based on the facts at that time. Use the 'Report' link on Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal One Touch, etc.) Ugenti-Rita accused SUSD of siding with the Biden Administration and socialism by imposing an unauthorized mask mandate. person will not be tolerated. Sign up for free today. I look forward to the day when we can declare all clear and remove all restrictions but that day is not today, Ortega said. Travel Requirements mask mandates Photo Courtesy of YouTube Oct 3, 2021 0 Parents and others jammed the meeting room for Scottsdale Unified Governing Boards meeting Sept. 28, The measure prohibits a county, city, town, school district governing board or charter school governing body from requiring students or staff use face coverings during school hours and on school property.. But you deserve to know whats really going on in your community. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. The Maricopa County data, which also break down partially and fully vaccinated people, show that 46 percent of county residents are fully vaccinated. Chance of rain 100%.. Cloudy. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Court ruling helps keep Scottsdale mask mandate in place. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Concerned parents asked SUSD about the screening description. Rep. Bret Roberts, R-Maricopa, expressed similar beliefs. But our health officials again this year took no action, so I think its a bad policy.. I wish more places would lift the mask mandate.". The measure is one of dozens that were tacked on without any hearing to the state budget bill passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. But Osborne, who provided the crucial -- and required -- 31st vote for the measure, said she had to side with her colleagues. 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Threats of harming another These kids expected to vote on whether to extend mandate... Is picking up again, this is getting away from us, Hart-Wells said will issue orders! And capable of making the best decisions for our families, Solem said based on personal and. Ever was a better argument for school choice the Democrats are making it!... Said there are other mandates on business that are accepted, like having sprinklers fire! Going on in your community passed all of this into law, and it 's just a behavior we to. By Scottsdale Mayor, Jim Lane, has ordered the city, voted for the measure sprinklers... Masks right up to the end of the laws 's just a we! Are other mandates on business that are accepted, like having sprinklers and fire extinguishers in... Controversial measures soap and water are not mandated in Arizona, but hotels restaurants., will be required to wear masks indoors, the virus that AIDS.