DANVILLE, Va. – By a unanimous vote, the Danville School Board has decided to keep a mask mandate in place for public school students.

Thursday night’s action followed a recommendation from school superintendent Dr. Angela Hairston and applies to all facilities and buses operated by Danville City Schools.

Three people spoke at the board meeting, with one parent urging the board to allow parents to make the decision as to whether their children should wear masks in the classroom.

Danville Vice-Mayor Dr. Gary Miller addressed the board, urging that the mask mandate be continued He said masks are needed now to prevent further spread of the Omicrom variant throughout the community, which is reporting an all-time high in COVID-19 cases.

A district spokesperson said continuing with the mask requirement will help ensure that schools remain open and that students do not miss more days in the classroom.

The vote had been scheduled for a meeting last week; however, that meeting was postponed due to the threat of inclement weather.