GCSC to again require students, staff to mask up

Monday, August 16, 2021

In a late afternoon Monday message to parents, Greenastle Community Schools Superintendent Jeff Gibboney announced that Greencastle will again require masks for students and staff.

“Effective Aug. 17, 2021 masks will be required indoors for students and staff in grades K-12, regardless of vaccination status,” Gibboney said. “Students and staff are not required to wear masks while outside, including at recess. While the school has a few extra masks in supply, families should plan to provide their students with masks.”

Gibboney said the decision was made in collaboration between district officials, the Greencastle School Board and local and state health officials.

“Unfortunately, COVID-19 rates are on the rise in our schools and local community,” Gibboney said. “It is our goal to continue to prioritize the safety of our students and staff while reducing the need to quarantine and avoid the disruption of in-person learning. In addition, we also wish to protect student opportunities in performing arts, athletics and special activities.”

According to the latest county metrics, which were current as of last Monday, Putnam County was displaying 258 new weekly cases per 100,000 residents and a seven-day positivity rate of 7.69 percent.

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  • *

    It didn't work the first time, but let's do it again!!

    After all, its only for two weeks to flatten the curve.

    LOL.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 7:52 PM
  • At least bad breath isn't contributing to global warming as the masks filter out the germs that cause bad breath

    -- Posted by beg on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 8:36 PM
  • The school should have ample supplies

    of masks with all the money being thrown at it or have they burned it all up on artificial turf?

    -- Posted by taylortwp on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 9:27 PM
  • There are many parents who have been advocating for a mask mandate to help stop the spread in schools. I believe this time, contact tracing will be handled differently (in a better way) for students and staff.

    -- Posted by kbmom on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 9:38 PM
  • Interesting. You could be right. What makes you believe contact tracing will be handled differently?

    -- Posted by beg on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 9:53 PM
  • My mom made and donated at least 350 handmade masks last year that were distributed throughout the GCSC schools . If your child doesn't have a mask to wear tomorrow.... Maybe try to find and wash the one made by her loving hands that your child recieved for nothing to keep the kids safe and not asking for a **** thing in return.

    -- Posted by hop7363 on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 10:03 PM
  • Hmm...

    When is that attendance count period this fall?

    Blue flu day?

    That could get someone's attention.

    -- Posted by direstraits on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 10:58 PM
  • Beg….without seeing the actual correspondence sent out to parents, I can’t speak of exactly what was said about contact tracing. Something alluding to: if students are masked properly, one tests positive for Covid, the other masked students wouldn’t be subjected to quarantine.

    Again, I haven’t seen the actual message sent to parents.

    -- Posted by kbmom on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 11:07 PM
  • Stupid power hungry people. The science doesn't show that masks work. In fact, places that never had a mask mandate have had the lowest infections and/or hospitalizations. If it were me, I would pull my kid out of that school, or any school, that requires anyone to wear a mask. It should be a persons CHOICE, not someone else's power hungry CHOICE to force others to wear a mask, get a vaccine, etc..

    -- Posted by Jaxks on Mon, Aug 16, 2021, at 11:36 PM
  • collective sigh from the staff and the students who were already masking! Good decision. Safety first.

    -- Posted by LocalPaper on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 9:41 AM
  • First of all, I couldn't care less about a mask mandate. They want to implement one again, fine. My kids survived last year with it. People are forgetting that kids are resilient, they handled it fine last year, so why is this year different? And why is this a surprise with Putnam County positivity rate jumping to over 28%??

    But, do I think masks work?? NO. Obviously, because people were still getting covid despite the extreme measures taken. Now covid is on the rise again, and half of us are vaccinated, and the majority of us played our part, and wore the masks and practiced social distancing. Clearly this isn't going away, and we are going to have to learn to deal with it. Just like the Flu.

    I think what is most upsetting to parents is the freedoms that are being ripped from not only us, but our children. Our children are being brought into this game of control. Parents are right, they should get the say over whether a filter is put over their child's face or not. However, they have options if they don't like their school mandating it... online, homeschool, other county schools. They can look into that if they are really set against it.

    I personally think I should have the final say over my child's well-being and whether a mask is on their face or not, but I am not going to object and throw a fit if my kid's school decides to mandate it again. My kids learn that rules are rules, even if we think they're dumb. Now, if they try to force a vaccine on my child (one that is not FDA approved and doesn't have enough long-term data backing the safety of it), then I will be pursing homeschooling options. And again, that's my choice I get to make for my children. :)

    -- Posted by momof2ingreencastle on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 9:41 AM
  • Another thing, I am curious to see this "petition" going around asking for the mandate... I have a kid in Greencastle schools, the petition never made its way to me. And from the NUMBER of people I see very upset over the mandate, it makes me wonder the validity of this petition, and how many signatures were actually on it.

    -- Posted by momof2ingreencastle on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 9:45 AM
  • Momof2ingreencastle, there are just as many people that want the mandate. Seems like nowadays if someone doesnt agree with the results they question the outcome/validity.

    "But, do I think masks work?? NO." -- Stop spreading this trash. They do work, it has been proven they work. Do you also question the validity of science?

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-...

    -- Posted by BJCP96 on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 11:37 AM
  • Don't let the virtue signal bullies rule over the kids.

    Let them BREATHE FREELY so they can THINK CLEARLY

    If it doesn't stop here the clot shot is next

    -- Posted by direstraits on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 12:11 PM
  • To those who make statements that "masks don't work" or "science doesn't show that masks are effective," I direct you to read something besides "science according to Facebook" or to listen to medical professionals and scientists other than the supposed "experts" on the Fox News network.

    In the July, 2021 volume of the American Journal of Infection Control, there is published a major article titled "Face masks to prevent transmission of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis." In the results of the research it states that "IN GENERAL, WEARING A MASK WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED RISK OF COVID-19 INFECTION. For the healthcare workers group, masks were shown to have a reduced risk of infection by nearly 70%."

    Masks are not the ultimate tool in reducing COVID-19 infections. Vaccinations are the best tool we have at this time. For the children who are not eligible to have vaccinations or for people whose immune systems do not respond fully to the vaccine, the wearing of masks will work to prevent transmission of the virus. The masks aren't perfect nor is the vaccine but both have been proven to prevent infections and to reduce deaths. Please wear your mask and make the choice to get vaccinated. Do both to help your loved ones and fellow Putnam County residents.

    -- Posted by LJScott on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 1:42 PM
  • "question the validity of science" HAHA. Okay. Gotcha. Except it depends on which science you wanna follow. Oh wait, you follow the science that's not being censored.

    -- Posted by momof2ingreencastle on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 2:09 PM
  • oh, my poor troubled neighbors. my friends this is all a lie for compliance. masks don't work, the jab is losing effectiveness, variant xyz is coming. covid is not going away this is like the common cold (corona virus), it is never going away. there is no ending of it and the school administrators are fools for trying to stop it. ade is coming

    -- Posted by davide_norris on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 4:49 PM
  • *

    Davide_Norris - At first I didn't understand your comment but then I put on my tin foil hat and bam it all made sense. Preach on brother!!

    -- Posted by RSOTS on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 4:57 PM
  • the hat blocks the 5g

    -- Posted by davide_norris on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 4:58 PM
  • maybe we should leave billions of dollars in equipment in Afghanistan and expect the taliban to avoid it because it may harbor the dreaded COVID

    -- Posted by davide_norris on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 5:03 PM
  • *

    There ain't enough tin foil to go around this thread.

    -- Posted by Bunny1E on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 5:09 PM
  • Here is a thought, why don't all of you put your name in for the next school board appointment ?

    -- Posted by Falcon9 on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 6:19 PM
  • *

    Interesting that despite the intensity of emotion on both sides, only two people made ad hominem attacks...

    Can you find 'em?

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 6:48 PM
  • Unfortunately the pretty cloth masks offer little to no protection. You need to wear a medical grade mask for protection.

    -- Posted by Homegrown765 on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 9:52 PM
  • LLS all the way!

    -- Posted by beg on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 10:08 PM
  • Masks help. Vaccines really help. Denial under the idea of your freedom at the expense of people more sensitive to having a negative reaction to contracting this virus doesn’t help. There are over 600,000 data points (plus people and families) evidencing that. This is not the flu, not the common cold. Wake up snowflakes and sheeple. The vaccine is not a conspiracy theory, the coronavirus is not a conspiracy theory, masks are not a conspiracy theory. Stop with the conspiracy theories. It will benefit all of us. Especially our most vulnerable.

    Also raise your hand if you’ve had the horrible experience of contracting Polio. Yeah, vaccines prevented you from having to suffer through that.

    -- Posted by Koios on Tue, Aug 17, 2021, at 10:13 PM
  • Agree Koios. Sadly, all sides of the political spectrum have used COVID issues for political gains.

    This is a society at large health issue, not a personal issue.

    I am of the practical sense party and sadly, we are the minority, being squeezed by both sides. I have several LLS friends who were against the vaccinations coming available last fall that are now for them. Why? Simple- everyone has said for political reasons. Not really a "what is best for society" approach.

    There is no cure all and I can find one instance to argue every point (today a great example- client canceled meeting because he has COVID. Also had it last summer and has been fully vaccinated>) but there are basic behaviors and choices that are best for society on the whole. That one instance, nor the unvaccinated person who has been exposed and never gotten it, should impact what is best for society.

    If a person was offered a shot that would lower chances of getting cancer by 90%, would they get it?

    Should each person choose how they dress in a dining establishment or should they be required to wear a shirt and pants?

    I believe in individual freedoms and careful to observe when they are being taken away. I am also aware of personal responsibility in respect to society at large with those freedoms.

    We all believe in restrictions of personal freedom. I am sure most don't believe I should be able to use the bathroom outside of a business on the square downtown.

    That being said, name calling doesn't bring unity. I am sure calling you names doesn't motivate you to desire unity with the name caller. We can do better.

    -- Posted by beg on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 12:25 AM
  • I am curious to know how many of the vaccine pushers would agree with NYC mayor's mandate that unless you can show proof of vaccination AND an ID, you are not allowed indoors. This includes grocery stores. Wait...ID? We have agreed that requiring ID is racist. And we have also agreed that the government telling us what we can and cannot do to our bodies is illegal. My body, my choice. It doesn't matter if it affects the life of another human being. Right? Why are we throwing all that out the window for a vaccination?

    -- Posted by agatha on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 9:53 AM
  • Well said Agatha

    -- Posted by beg on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 10:17 AM
  • RSOTS-Before you begin advocating the use of tin hats, you should read the article by the ATLANTIC concerning the testing of such headwear accomplished by the students at MIT. There are apparently three level of hats, and at the minimum, 2 layers of aluminum foil are required. In addition, the possibility still remains that at the higher radio spectrum, probably used by the human reptilians for world domination, radio waves can still get through. In addition, one must consider the possibility that the very shielding blocking external thoughts from getting in might prevent beneficial thoughts from getting out, and if you are of a liberal mindset, determined to improve the world through your knowledgeable presence and forceful guidance, you need to be aware of limitations of tin hats. In addition, if you live in southern Putnam County, near 70, where the truckers use CB radios frequently, three layers might be required. I know very little, if anything, about tin-hats as I'm still learning the local culture, but I hear that tin hats helped CLINTON and BIDEN during the stumble-and-run fiasco after BENGHAZI. Good luck, RSOTS.

    KEEP your followers in the comments section of the Banner "TUNED" in!

    -- Posted by Prince of Stardust Hills on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 11:00 AM
  • This idea that there is anything that can be done to prevent anyone from being infected by this virus is nonsense.

    Masks are marginal at best, limiting droplets not the major virus load of aerosols. Not worth it for most people except those that are compromised. Especially not good for school age youth.

    The vaccines didn't promise prevention, disclaimers by the vaccine makers at the very release said as much, the vaccine will not prevent infection, only reduce symptoms.

    The reality now of people being fully vaccinated now bears this out, they are being reinfected. How can that happen? They ARE vaccinated? Right?

    These vaccines are therapeutics not preventatives.

    The vaccines have been engineered not with the whole virus just pieces of it, as stated, designed to prevent certain symptoms.

    Problems can arise if you have been infected and recovered with the whole virus and then take the injection with the pieces of the injection, an overload of the spike proteins can occur, collecting together in the blood stream as blood clots. Fortunately the majority, at this point, can tolerate some of this.

    Continuing to suggest that this tolerance of an overload of spike proteins will always be the case is not likely because, more booster shots are being recommended. Dire consequences for the ones that cannot tolerate such an event.

    All of this is information has been available at one time but then social media and mainstream media has CENSORED it. It can be found but you can't use the search engines that are allowed to block it. They just won't allow you look at sites that the fact checkers and keyword search deem as misinformation.

    Trying to be clear here that giving up the freedom of information will always lead to tyranny. Those that control the information will always lead us to the conclusion those CENSORS want. Call it what you want, it is happening and has been for a long time.

    We are living in a time of choosing and we should not be afraid of looking at all information sources.

    We can decide for ourselves if it is in our best interest to make all of these decisions now being made (mandated) for us. IF IF IF, we are allowed to see what ALL of the options are.

    -- Posted by direstraits on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 11:40 AM
  • Putnam is now a red county.

    -- Posted by kbmom on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 12:44 PM
  • *

    POSH - I greatly appreciate the advice in my search for the perfect tin hat. Fortunately I was able to find a three layer hat lined with MyPillow lining that was engineered by Marjorie Taylor Green on Wish.com. I am confident this will be the hat that will offer me the greatest level of comfort and protection when I attend the reinstatement of our rightful President on Aug 13th...

    -- Posted by RSOTS on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 3:06 PM
  • I fill my tin hat with kool-aid.

    -- Posted by techphcy on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 3:14 PM
  • If you want to wear a mask then wear one. Then mind your own business.

    If you do not want to wear a mask then so be it. Then mind you own business.

    I love my country but, I fear our government. Who really knows what is in every syringe when a person is injected?

    This could all be a trial run to do away with people in general.

    Think about it.

    -- Posted by donantonio on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 3:20 PM
  • RSOTS! You made my day and made me laugh! Thanks.

    -- Posted by Prince of Stardust Hills on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 3:35 PM
  • If ignorance is bliss, some posters here are the happiest people in the entire universe.

    -- Posted by Koios on Wed, Aug 18, 2021, at 10:05 PM
  • They who give up

    ESSENTIAL LIBERTY to obtain a little

    TEMPORARY SAFTEY...

    deserve neither.

    -Ben Franklin-

    It's becoming clearer day by day that the American people are fed up with the Biden regime and this parade of failures national and now worldwide.

    Just want to thank all of the little snowflakes that couldn't stand the mean tweeting, orangeman.

    I hope you're enjoying the suck that EVERYONE is now enduring.

    (except the CCP they are laughing their heads off while circling our allies in Taiwan)

    wake up

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 10:48 AM
  • If you actually understood the context of that Franklin quote, you probably wouldn't want to be using it here.

    -- Posted by Koios on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 11:31 AM
  • Oh yeah...I forgot

    I MUST have the CORRECT interpretation before I am ALLOWED to speak it.

    You seem like more of a tool for the left than a thinker.

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 11:40 AM
  • Calm down, already. It's usually a good idea to understand the context that a quote was said in before using it to try to make a point. There is no reason to get all bent out of shape.

    -- Posted by Koios on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 11:47 AM
  • "Just want to thank all of the little snowflakes that couldn't stand the mean tweeting, orangeman." -- Dont be sad bud, Orangedaddy will be back on 8/22 or 9/13 or 9/23 and if none of those dates work we can get others, so dont panic.

    -- Posted by BJCP96 on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 11:58 AM
  • My mistake two Biden/Bernie tools.

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 12:08 PM
  • Platitudes and the party line is all you two have to offer. No substance or reasoning, no insight to how others might be struggling with the overreach of one debacle after the other.

    Your fine with all of it.

    Calm down, take the jab, it will all be fine if you just do what your betters tell you to do.

    "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

    -The Wizard of Oz-

    wrong context again?

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 12:34 PM
  • *

    "It's becoming clearer day by day that the American people are fed up with the Biden regime and this parade of failures national and now worldwide.

    Just want to thank all of the little snowflakes that couldn't stand the mean tweeting, orangeman.

    I hope you're enjoying the suck that EVERYONE is now enduring."

    "Platitudes and the party line is all you two have to offer. No substance or reasoning"

    That's one heck of a self own direstraits

    -- Posted by RSOTS on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 12:44 PM
  • That’s it?

    No rebuttal?

    Have you noticed anything locally? Statewide? Nationally? Internationally? that might be a little disturbing that Joe’s dementia has made policy on?

    His own media can’t cover this up anymore.

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 3:20 PM
  • I see love, respect, and unity are plentiful

    -- Posted by beg on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 4:45 PM
  • *

    Direstraits - don't play their game. It ain't worth it.

    Most are ruled by fear and misplaced faith.

    You cannot reason with them, and like someone drowning, they will only pull you down with them.

    After all, its only for two weeks to flatten the curve. ;)

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 5:38 PM
  • ...says the person crying about wearing a simple mask to stop the spread of disease.

    Also, the flatten the curve thing only works when everyone takes responsibility and wears a mask.

    -- Posted by BJCP96 on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 6:06 PM
  • I see none of that.

    Apprehension

    Any medical or social mandates, from government or employer regarding freedom of movement or condition of employment.

    Stoked fires of Trump hatred

    This regime could not dismantle the functioning policies any faster than those that were protecting and prospering ALL Americans

    Canceling the Keystone Pipeline

    Canceling the completion of the southern border wall

    Opening the southern border to any and all

    Spending through revenues that burden the future generations

    Dismantling title nine protections for young girls and women allowing biological males to compete in female sports (this also allows men to be placed in female prisons if they declare they are women its already happening)

    Critical Race Theory in schools and military

    Much more but I'll stop there

    Is this the love, unity and respect you speak of?

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 6:12 PM
  • “ Most are ruled by fear and misplaced faith.”

    Please don’t refer to me as an anti-Vaxxer, I’m most decidedly not.

    Dire, most reasonable analyses show the Keystone Pipeline having a negative impact on good American jobs in the long term.

    While we are here also, the only ones talking about Critical Race Theory are Mike Pence and his fellow bible thumpers. I guess I’m not really shocked you fell for that subterfuge.

    I completely agree with you on Title 9.

    A 100% wall will never be achieved, there are too many private land right issues, among other things even Trump ran into. Give that dream up.

    -- Posted by Koios on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 7:23 PM
  • DPR, it's not for the tools that I post.

    The tools intentions are exposed.

    The more they talk...

    a)don't know

    b)don't care to know

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 9:15 PM
  • c) don’t care to be brainwashed by conspiracy theories.

    You should aspire to hit c).

    As for b), have you looked into the context of the Franklin quote you cited earlier? You should, it might be enlightening for you. If you allow it to be. Or you could keep your blinders on, it’s a free country, ultimately your choice.

    -- Posted by Koios on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 9:45 PM
  • just keep talking

    your man joe he got all them 81,000,000 votes don't you know

    more than anyone EVER

    he's right on everything good for us

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 10:05 PM
  • Dire, how do you know who I voted for in the last election?

    Hint, you don’t. Get out of your cocoon. Think freely.

    -- Posted by Koios on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 10:42 PM
  • progs hang together

    walks like a duck

    talks like a duck

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 10:54 PM
  • Your comment reveals all everyone needs to know. Apply it to your thinking.

    -- Posted by Koios on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 11:17 PM
  • whatever you do

    stay with your feelings

    and keep your foot on the deplorables neck

    they are getting kind of uppity

    they're asking a lot of questions

    and joe is looking a little orange

    he's going to have to do something soon

    -- Posted by direstraits on Thu, Aug 19, 2021, at 11:36 PM
  • direstraits-I'm impressed with your energy!

    -- Posted by Prince of Stardust Hills on Fri, Aug 20, 2021, at 1:35 AM
  • I think many of the statements above leave me wondering

    -- Posted by beg on Fri, Aug 20, 2021, at 7:36 AM
  • Some of you should be ashamed of your childishness when so many people are sick and dying. It's not a joke and you can stop trying to prove how clever you are any time now.

    -- Posted by unbiased on Fri, Aug 20, 2021, at 9:53 AM
  • Should childishness behavior only be shameful when people are sick and dying?

    Aren't people always doing that?

    -- Posted by beg on Sat, Aug 21, 2021, at 12:26 AM
  • Step up and put your names in for the next school board appointment .

    -- Posted by Falcon9 on Sat, Aug 21, 2021, at 9:37 PM
  • -- Posted by beg on Sun, Aug 22, 2021, at 12:08 AM
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