Masks will be required in the Minot Public Schools through May 26, but will be optional for the May 30 graduation ceremony and for students attending summer school.

The Minot Public School Board voted 5-0 to make the change on Friday after teachers, parents and students spoke at a public forum expressing opinions both for and against the masking policy.

Before the final vote, board member Miranda Schuler had made a motion calling for masks to be made optional in the school district after May 12. Board president Jim Rostad seconded the motion. Rostad said he has already had the COVID-19 virus and his doctor has told him he has immunity to the virus for up to nine months and possibly for life. Both were in favor of ending the mask requirement in the schools.

Board members Mike Gessner and Laura Mihalick said the mask requirement should stay through the end of the school year for the protection of students and teachers.

Gessner, Mihalick and board member Bonny Berryman all voted against Schuler’s motion to end the mask requirement, and Schuler and Rostad voted in favor of it. That motion failed 2-3.

Schuler then made the second motion to keep the policy as it is now through May 26 but to make masks optional for the May 30 in-person graduation ceremony at the Minot State University Dome and for other school events thereafter.

All five board members then voted unanimously to approve ending the mask requirement as of May 26.

During the public forum, people spoke passionately for and against ending the mask policy. One teacher said she is battling cancer and the mask requirement is the only reason she is able to continue to teach. A teacher of children with special needs said that the mask requirement makes it hard for him to read the facial expressions of his students. A parent mentioned that a number of schools in the area no longer require students and teachers to wear masks and she felt it was time for Minot to end its mask requirement too.

Samantha VanBibber, a sophomore at Minot High School-Central Campus, and her parents, Dr. Mike VanBibber and Nicole VanBibber, all spoke in favor of ending the mask requirement. Minot High School-Magic City Campus seniors Annabelle Barcomb and Olivia Stewart both said the mask policy should remain in place to the end of the school year to prevent the possibility of an increase in COVID-19 cases and the cancellation of events to which seniors have been looking forward. Since last fall, people have not been required to quarantine if they are exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 provided that everyone was wearing a mask at all times.

With the adoption of the new policy, masks will be recommended but not required when summer school classes are held this summer.

Superintendent Mark Vollmer said the hope is the mask requirement will end when classes resume in the fall.