The school board voted to approve a revised mitigation proposal 7 – 1 with Shawn Rolland voting no on Tuesday, December 13th. In phase 1 of the proposal, Wauwatosa East and West High Schools will move to mitigation level 2, and all other schools will be moved to their appropriate level. The board also approved a motion terminate their relationship with AVID.

Moving East and West to mitigation level 2 will make masks optional for students who are vaccinated, although there is no way of proving student vaccination. Level 2 will also approve large school events and field trips. 

The quarantine process will also be changed. Due to “logistical challenges in identifying true close contacts”, as well as the change in masking, all unvaccinated students in a classroom will be placed into quarantine if there is a positive COVID-19 case in the class. Vaccination status is self reported. 

These changes at the high school level will take place January 3rd. 

Phase 2 of the mitigation plan will move all other schools into their own mitigation level depending on internal metrics. This will take place January 18th. 

Throughout the board meeting, many parents and teachers gave their opinions. Many spoke in favor of masking, saying that it made students feel safe and made schools more accessible for immunocompromised children. Others believed that masks were ineffective, vaccinations did not work, and that herd immunity makes students completely immune. One student spoke against moving East and West to mitigation level 2. 

The mitigation proposal can be viewed here.