Despite the science, school district staff manning road crossings can be seen routinely wearing masks, outdoors. The purpose may be to instill mask compliance in students.
School district staff around the East Valley and beyond can be seen every morning donning their cloth masks while working on street crossings, outside, distanced from children.
Scientific evidence shows that cloth masks are ineffective in blocking viral transmissions, as are simple cellulose masks, e.g. the blue face coverings many people wear. Only more serious devices such as N95 masks make some impact on viral transmission. Such masks are more expensive and are meant for time limited use in hazardous environments. They are wholly impractical for constant use. Scientific evidence also shows that in socially distanced outdoor spaces there is a near zero risk of Covid transmission.
Up until a few weeks ago, one could see some of the district staff at road crossings without face masks. It is hence possible that the order to mask up again came from a central source in the district administrations. We are investigating.
Masks are optional for students in the Chandler Unified School District, CUSD80, serving much of Chandler, Gilbert and parts of Queen Creek, although they are supposed to be worn when a student has had Covid, or was in close contact with someone who had it recently.
The Kyrene School District serving the West of Chandler and nearby communities has a universal mask mandate in place.
Chandler teachers union president Katie Nash recently addressed the CUSD80 board asking for stricter masking and quarantine policies.