On Monday, Metro Nashville Public Schools reported that 201 students were confirmed positive for COVID-19 during the week of Sept 27 through Oct. 3, along with 32 staff members. An additional 1,472 staff and students were in quarantine. These numbers are updated every Monday on MNPS’ COVID-19 tracker, and since the beginning of the school year, around 3,475 students and staff have reportedly tested positive, while another 19,229 have needed to isolate. The district is made up of nearly 83,000 students.
All of these cases come amid strict mask mandates, which MNPS has had to fight for. MNPS declared its mask mandate just five days before school started, with mixed reactions from parents. Shortly after, Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order enabling parents to opt their children out of mask mandates throughout the state, but MNPS ignored Lee’s order, telling Davidson County families that Nashville public schools would continue to require masks. So far, the district has not faced any repercussions for defying the executive order.
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