ROSEVILLE, Calif. — At a special meeting Monday night, the Roseville School District School Board said the district has updated its mask enforcement protocol, which went into effect Tuesday.

The council said students who do not wear masks will not be excluded from school facilities, classrooms, activities or events.

“We have made the update because we believe that the application protocols have negatively impacted the ability of our students to reach their academic potential due to limited opportunities for student engagement, exclusions from the in-person learning and sporadic attendance,” said the Roseville City School District Board of Education. written in a letter to parents.

Students, staff and parents spoke at the meeting sharing differing views on the mask policy and the enforcement of masks in district schools.

Students and parents referenced the Roseville Joint Union High School District’s (RJUHSD) recent decision to adopt a mask-optional policy.

RELATED: ‘Mask Choice’ | Roseville School District wears optional mask on Feb. 15 despite K-12 mandate

A parent who said two children attended Junction Elementary School said RCSD should follow RJUSD policy.

“There’s no consistency with the mask mandates. We’re done trying to explain to our kids ‘you don’t need to wear them to a Super Bowl, to friends’ quarters or to them. wear in town, but in school you have to.’ Even for a seven-year-old it doesn’t make sense,” the parent said.

Some students who spoke at the meeting said they did not want to wear masks in schools and others said they wanted a choice.

Roseville Teachers Association president Lisa Shrider told the council that she also didn’t “want to have to hide behind masks,” but that she also didn’t want to go against the mandate of the state requiring masks in schools.

“We respect the difficult situation you find yourself in. We wish we could be with you in celebrating the end of the mask mandate, but unfortunately we cannot,” Shrider said.

The state is expected to reassess the data and conditions on February 28 and consider future changes to statewide school masking.

Deanna Ponseti, a teacher at RCSD’s Eich College, said she wanted all of her students to be able to attend her class.

“We need a solution, I don’t know what it is – it’s up to you. I know what I’m hoping for and I know the difficult position you’re in. I need that my administrative staff can do their jobs as administrators. I need my counselors to be able to advise students and offer support. At this time we are operating as a triage unit with students who protesting, disruptions in the class day, and it got really, just crazy,” Ponseti mentioned.

Find more information about RCSD’s COVID-19 policies and procedures on the district’s website.

Watch the full public meeting HERE.

New California bill tackles chronic absenteeism and federal funds in schools