FOIA McMaster Removes Mask Mandate

From: @aol.
com
To: Barton, Melanie
Subject: Re: [External] Fwd: Information from the Superintendent
Date: Monday, May 3, 2021 10:23:13 AM
just left you a message!
-----Original Message-----
From: Barton, Melanie <MBarton@governor.sc.gov>
To: mosleyad@aol.com @aol.com>
Sent: Mon, May 3, 2021 9:47 am
Subject: Re: [External] Fwd: Information from the Superintendent
Call me on my personal cell phone
my iPhone
On Apr 25, 2021, at 9:47 AM @aol.com wrote:
Melanie,
I can not express enough, my appreciation for your willingness to listen to

my concerns regarding what I have dubbed the "hamster wheel of
absurdity" here in Greenville County. I am forwarding you a sample of
three, recent email communications (the first you will find below) from our
District leadership. In doing so, I'm hoping to provide you with a small
glimpse of what I suspect you already understand in terms of the 'rigidity'
that I'm dealing with.
Due to my being unavailable, I asked Sarah Dulin, who is also a newly

elected like-minded Board member, to contact Ryan Brown on Friday. He
will be following up with her this week about some of the questions we
have about the new Resolution the Governor just signed. However, in the
course of her conversation with him, he indicated that Molly will "probably"
be making an announcement in May that masks are no longer required on
buses or campuses this summer or next year...but are SUGGESTED.
And that these decisions will be left up to the individual districts to
decide.
That ONE word... "suggested"... leaves WAY too much room for our
superintendent to "abuse his power". I have to have 7 votes to override
anything he recommends and our board (with the exception of the newest
three members) is notorious for "rubber stamping" anything he says. This
is why it is paramount that any "language" DHEC, Molly Spearman or any
other Government official uses is clear and without "gray area".
I would like Molly, DHEC, etc... to simply say, "masks are optional"....and
2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 177

leave it at that. Truthfully, I don't think they should even be optional
because I truly believe it's nothing more than 'theater'. But if someone
wants to slap a piece of cloth on their child, I guess they should have that
right.
Bottom line... it is time for the burden to shift from the organization
back to the individual. It is time to stop moving the goal posts and for
people to take personal responsibility again for their own risk mitigation. If
DHEC comes out and remotely suggests "masking" as a "best practice",
Burke Royster will continue this nonsense.
On behalf of my thousands of constituents who have made it clear that

they want the masking, the distancing and the plexiglas to END, thank
you for any influence you can wield.
Sincerely,
Angie Mosley
From: Angie Mosley @gmail.com>
To: Angie Mosley @aol.com>
Sent: Sun, Apr 25, 2021 9:21 am
Subject: Fwd: Information from the Superintendent
---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Fitzer, Nancy <nfitzer@greenville.k12.sc.us>
Date: Thu, Apr 15, 2021 at 4:44 PM
Subject: Information from the Superintendent
To: Angie Mosley < @gmail.com>, Carolyn Styles < @gmail.com>,
Chuck Saylors < @gmail.com>, Debi Bush @aol.com>, Fitzer,
Nancy <nfitzer@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Fortner, Gail <gfortner@greenville.k12.sc.us>,
Derek Lewis <derek@lewis4schools.com>, Lynda Leventis-Wells @gmail.com>,
Michelle Goodwin-Calwile @gmail.com>, Morrison-Fair, Glenda
< @gmail.com>, Pat Sudduth <s @bellsouth.net>, Roger Meek
<rdmeek@bellsouth.net>, Royster, Burke <broyster@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Sarah Dulin
< @gmail.com>, Brinkman, Teri <tbrinkma@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Lisa H.
Wells < @yahoo.com>
Greenville County Schools

Office of the Superintendent
Date: April 15, 2021
To: Board of Trustees
From: Burke Royster
Re: COVID Protocols Questions

Ms. Dulin wrote: I'm hearing from MANY parents that would like the plexiglass OR masks to
be removed from their elementary and middle school classrooms now that high school is
able to attend without plexiglass. They state that younger children are even less at risk for
Covid, and that the masks in particular are not effective for young children because the
general griminess and germiness of the masks is in fact counterproductive anyway.
Teachers are saying the same things. If classrooms are going to keep the plexiglass up,
please let teachers know that students can at least remove their masks while seated at the
desks. And also, as it gets hotter, mask wearing outside and in PE is quite dangerous.
Athletes are not wearing masks while they practice and play, so students in PE and at
recess should not either. ...Unless they personally choose to.
Also, in a previous email, it was stated that "DHEC’s quarantine requirements have not
changed, defining close contacts as individuals who spend at least 15 cumulative minutes
within six feet of a COVID-positive individual, with or without a mask. Therefore, we expect
this shift to lead to increases in in-school exposures and subsequently larger numbers of
students and employees required to quarantine."
I understand that the District feels like what DHEC says is the best info we have, but they
have been wrong about SO MANY aspects related to Covid. The Roadmap attendance
plan at the beginning of the year was based on numbers that DHEC admitted they had
calculated incorrectly all along! The CDC has clearly stated that plexiglass has no effect on
stopping the spread of Covid, so there should be absolutely no difference in quarantining
students after Plexiglass removal than there was before.
This policy of quarantining potentially entire classes will be extremely detrimental to
students, especially at the end of the year. If a student is not showing symptoms of being ill,
they need to attend to take exams, participate in final sports and performances, attend
special celebrations, and walk at graduation. Quarantining anyone that was in a classroom
with someone who might be sick or has tested positive is NOT what the SC Legislature is
passing. And from the District's own data, it is clear that MOST who quarantine do not ever
test positive anyway. This policy hurt students' academic achievement and
emotional/mental health as they try to wrap up this challenging year.
Response: Thank you for sharing these concerns. We would welcome the opportunity to
speak to any of the parents who are contacting you so that we can better understand their
concerns and clarify our policies and practices with them. To address the points in your
message:
High School students are not “able” to attend without plexiglass – this is a situation
being forced upon the district that goes against the recommended guidance and our
stated fidelity to that guidance. We will only remove plexiglass in elementary and
middle school classrooms where we must accommodate more students than the pod
setup will allow in order to comply with the law. Without plexiglass, CDC guidelines
call for classrooms to be set up with desks in rows, at least three feet apart on all
sides, where students are continuously masked and all face the same direction. To
institute this setup at the elementary level as we are doing at the high schools, we
would require approximately 6,000 additional desks than we now have, as this is no
longer the primary seating configuration at elementary schools (the use of larger
tables is much more common, as you have likely observed). While we could utilize
CARES Act funds to purchase the desks, it is not possible to obtain them in that
quantity prior to the end of the school year. Additionally, the feedback we received
from our teachers through their principals was that seating in rows as described is
less conducive to their preferred teaching methodology than that which they have
implemented with the plexiglass.
All reputable public health guidance includes masks and distancing as the primary
layers of defense against COVID-19. Most importantly, the local health providers
upon whose advice we rely, including those representing Prisma, Bon Secours, and
MUSC have all emphasized the importance of continuing masking protocols. We
have an ample supply of replacement masks on hand to be distributed anytime a

teacher or administrator determines it is needed, so no student should be sitting in
class with a dirty mask.
Students have always been able to remove masks for PE and recess when they
remain six feet apart, which should be doable in any outdoor situation.
DHEC’s quarantine requirements are exactly that: requirements promulgated within
the agency’s statutory authority. We do not have a choice in following the quarantine
directives from DHEC, just as we do not have a choice in complying with the state
legislation regarding five-day attendance.
The Roadmap attendance plan was based on numerical cutoffs for high, medium,
and low spread that are fairly standard across the nation and are consistent with the
CDC’s guidance. Those numbers have not changed. What DHEC did change was its
method of calculating percent positivity, which now aligns with the methodology used
in most other states, and is one of three metrics used in determining community
incidence level. Greenville County’s spread/incidence ratings would not have been
significantly impacted if the percent positivity had been calculated this way from the
beginning of the pandemic, as our ratings quickly climbed to “High” over the summer
due to the other two metrics considered: number of positive cases per 100,000
residents and trend in incidence rate. In any event, early on in the school year, we
informed the Board that we had discontinued using the percent positivity as a
primary determining factor in our attendance plan decisions, as we did not find this to
be a useful indicator; we thereafter focused less on community incidence data and
more on our internal incidence data.
CDC and plexiglass: We would appreciate if you would send any references you
have regarding the CDC stating that plexiglass is ineffectual. We do have some
information from the CDC that indicates that while barriers are not the most favored
option, they are a recommended option if six-foot distances cannot be maintained in
classrooms (see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/pdf/How-
Do-I-Set-Up-My-Classroom.pdf, maps D and E).
We agree that students should be attending school as much as possible.
Quarantining entire classes is recommended only when there are three or more
positive COVID cases in one classroom. Although we predict that more students will
be required to quarantine due to seating proximity once the Joint Resolution takes
effect, we are hopeful that our other preventative measures, including masking, will
prevent those exposures from becoming positive cases. However, this is a cause for
concern. So far this year, we have had fewer than ten class-wide quarantines (five of
which were due to one case cluster in one middle school) and hope these
occurrences will continue to be few and far between.
Nancy Fitzer
Assistant to the Superintendent and Liaison to the Board
(864) 355-8862

From: Newton, Kyle
To: Barton, Melanie
Subject: [External] Fwd: Face Covering Mandate
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2021 12:40:47 PM
FYI
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Wilson, Tom" <TomWilson@anderson5.net>

Date: May 12, 2021 at 12:32:51 PM EDT
Subject: Face Covering Mandate
Colleagues,
Due to the recension of the state mandate requiring face coverings in public schools,
and the now available opt-out form created by DHEC for students, face coverings for
employees will no longer be mandatory. Each employee will be able to make their own
decision as to whether or not they choose to wear a face covering while at work.
I encourage those who have not received the vaccine to keep wearing their mask, and
as always I encourage all of our employees to get the vaccine if they have not already
done so at this point. As a reminder, beginning April 15th all absences due to COVID,
including having to quarantine, come directly out of your personal sick leave.
Additionally, I have instructed my leadership team to begin looking at any monetary
incentives the district could provide for those who choose to be vaccinated.
Best regards,
Thomas A. Wilson, Superintendent

Anderson School District Five
400 Pearman Dairy Road
Anderson, SC 29625
(864)260-5000

From: Barton, Melanie
To: @aol.com
Subject: RE: [External] Fwd: [EXTERNAL Email] E-Learning Policy
Date: Thursday, April 29, 2021 3:17:00 PM
The governor’s legal team is looking at all options to accomplish this. . .
Melanie
From: @aol.com @aol.com>

Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2021 1:15 PM
To: Barton, Melanie <MBarton@governor.sc.gov>
Subject: Re: [External] Fwd: [EXTERNAL Email] E-Learning Policy
Oh my goodness...YES!! You didn't hear the cheers erupt from up here in the Upstate last night?....My
phone "blew up" with celebration...lol!
I have been in a budget meeting all morning and I was just siting down to e-mail you. Please THANK the
Governor for us! We are grateful for his level-headed and firm stance on this issue.
Quick question...I read the article from the State earlier this morning where Ryan Brown made the
comment that the Governor has the power to issue an EO directing Districts to abandon the guidelines.
Is the Governor considering taking this step? Regardless of the comments against what he said, I
believe he has a lot of support up here in the Upstate and that the "mask until the end of time" parents are
truly in the minority. My constituents, in particular, would welcome our Governor's leadership in shifting
the burden back to the individual where mitigating risk is concerned.
Thank you, again! I look forward to hearing more!
Sincerely,
Angie
From: Barton, Melanie <MBarton@governor.sc.gov>
To: @aol.com < @aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Apr 29, 2021 11:47 am
Subject: RE: [External] Fwd: [EXTERNAL Email] E-Learning Policy
Angie:
Just wanted to make sure that you saw the following yesterday from the governor’s press event.
Melanie
The State: McMaster calls it ‘ridiculous’ that SC students are forced to wear masks at school
https://www.thestate.com/news/local/education/article251018019.html
Zak Koeske

Gov. Henry McMaster, who has proudly refused to issue a statewide mask mandate throughout the
coronavirus pandemic, said Wednesday it was “ridiculous” for school districts to require students to
wear masks at school.
A longtime proponent of getting South Carolina students back in classrooms five days a week, the
governor’s comments came after he was asked to weigh in on parents pushing against the requirement that
their children wear masks at school.
“Those parents are exactly right,” McMaster said, speaking to reporters at a press conference. “If
they do not want their children being forced by the government to wear a mask in school, they should
not be forced by the government to wear a mask in school against the wishes of the parents.
“It is the height of ridiculosity for a school district to make that decision for the parents, particularly since
we’ve known even when the virus was rampant that the schools, the classrooms were the safest places of
all.”
The governor said parents, not the government or school district officials, should decide whether or not their
children must wear masks in school.
“It is the parents’ choice, it is no longer the school district’s choice,” said McMaster, who called on
state education officials to adopt his stance.
The S.C. Department of Education currently requires students and staff in public schools to wear a mask
when entering a school building, moving through hallways, during pickup and drop off, while boarding,
riding and exiting buses, and when social distancing is not possible.
Students may only remove their face coverings when directed to by a teacher or administrator while in the
classroom or during special activities outside the classroom, according to the policy posted on its website.
Education spokesman Ryan Brown said the agency did not intend to modify its masking policy in response
to the governor’s comments and said all districts in the state currently follow mask guidelines.
“We would advise districts to continue to follow these guidelines and if the Governor feels that they are no
longer needed, he has the power to issue an executive order directing districts to abandon them,” Brown
said in a statement.
Last week, after months of the governor, the state superintendent and lawmakers urging all schools to return
to in-person instruction five days a week, legislation requiring that schools do so passed both chambers and
was quickly signed into law.
Brown said South Carolina is one of only a handful of states nationwide in which every school is fully open
to in-person learning.
-###-
The Post and Courier: McMaster: ‘unreasonable’ COVID restrictions, including mask mandates, need to
end in SC
https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/mcmaster-unreasonable-covid-restrictions-including-mask-
mandates-need-to-end-in-sc/article_65a61a90-a863-11eb-a30a-f39dabe1b457.html
Seanna Adcox
Gov. Henry McMaster said government-mandated mask wearing and other COVID-19 restrictions
need to end in South Carolina, and he’s willing to do “whatever’s necessary” to put a stop to them if
local officials don’t do so themselves.

“It’s time to start getting back to normal. I’d ask the cities and counties if they have restrictions out there, to
wrap it up,” he told reporters April 28 outside the Governor’s Mansion.
“I think some of them are being unreasonable, and if they need some help in removing those restrictions, I’ll
be glad to help them,” he added.
Whether to mask up should also be a choice — not a requirement — in schools, he said, now that all
employees have had the opportunity to get vaccinated on their own or through clinics that every district
arranged with a local health care provider after workers became eligible March 8.
“It is the height of ridiculousity for a school district to make that decision for the parents,” McMaster
said.
His comments came two days after dozens of parents protested outside the Charleston County School
District, calling for its mandate to become an option.
“Those parents are exactly right,” McMaster said, adding that studies showed even at the height of
the pandemic that the virus largely was not spread at school and when it did, it wasn’t from child to
adult.
“If the parents do not want their children wearing masks, then they shouldn’t be required by the government
to wear a mask,” the governor said. “It’s just that simple.”
School district spokesman Andy Pruitt dismissed McMaster’s criticism, saying Charleston County
will continue to follow the guidance of infection control specialists from the Medical University of
South Carolina.
South Carolina is among just a handful of states where every school is offering a full return to the
classroom. Only a few of the state’s 79 districts hadn’t already provided the option for all grades before
legislators passed a law setting an April 26 deadline.
State schools Superintendent Molly Spearman advised districts to continue following the guidelines of
public health experts. However, “if the governor feels that they are no longer needed, he has the power to
issue an executive order directing districts to abandon them,” said her spokesman, Ryan Brown.
McMaster said he might.
He declined to be more precise, repeating only that he would do “whatever is necessary.”
He also declined to specify how long he’s willing to wait on local officials, saying, “That depends on what
happens. But we’re getting pretty close.”
Unlike other states, South Carolina never had a statewide mask mandate, though McMaster
encouraged local governments last year to pass their own ordinances. That encouragement officially
ended when he lifted his mandate for face coverings in state buildings March 5.
More than 1.2 million South Carolinians have completed their COVID-19 vaccinations, or more than 30
percent of adults. State health officials say reaching so-called herd immunity — when enough people have
immunity to prevent the virus from spreading — will require 70 percent of adults getting vaccinated.
But McMaster said the dropping rate of new cases and deaths suggest the state is getting there despite
being far below that benchmark, noting many South Carolinians have natural immunity from having
the virus and recovering.

Nearly 580,000 South Carolinians have tested positive for the virus over the last 13 months, and about
9,500 of them died, according to public health data.
McMaster, who is among the South Carolinians who recovered, called it “absurd” for President Joe
Biden and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue calling for fully vaccinated
people to wear masks indoors, even while easing guidelines April 27 for outdoors.
“I think that’s totally unreasonable,” said McMaster, who got his first shot April 19.
Many local governments are already choosing not to renew their mask mandates when they expire.
The city of Charleston extended its mandate through May 13. But City Council voted April 20 to eliminate
fines and the requirement to wear masks outdoors.
“The city of Charleston has worked hard to be both responsible and reasonable throughout the pandemic,”
said city spokesman Jack O’Toole.
-###-
From: @aol.com < @aol.com>

Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2021 10:18 AM
To: Barton, Melanie <mbarton@governor.sc.gov>
Subject: [External] Fwd: [EXTERNAL Email] E-Learning Policy
And finally, e-mail #3. This response to a parent, actually came from the principal of my children's high
school. You can see in the parent's original email, his concerns are around our Covid protocols and
spring sports. The principal did an excellent job "towing the district line" in her response (I happen to
know that her personal opinion differs) But, I wanted you to see an example of something many parents
are concerned about... They WANT their children IN school, but because of the rigidity of "the protocols",
they feel stuck between a rock and hard place. They are being forced to consider virtual options to keep
their children "safe" from "the absurdity"...NOT the virus.
People have GOT to return to 'reason' where context and perspective are present. We have GOT to
stop allowing those with IRRATIONAL fears to control this narrative. There was a Gallup survey that
showed the vast majority of Democrats incorrectly overestimated the probability of being hospitalized
from Covid...in fact, 41% believed that hospitalization occurred at least 50% of the time. Only 10% of
democrats correctly said that the probability is 1-5%. Knowing that our new Director of Public Health is a
staunch Biden supporter, I have significant concerns that she has the potential to continue promoting
what has obviously become a greatly exaggerated view of the danger of Covid.
With our most vulnerable population now protected by vaccines, it is time for the burden to shift back to
the individual.
From: Angie Mosley <a @gmail.com>
To: Angie Mosley @aol.com>
Sent: Sun, Apr 25, 2021 9:18 am
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL Email] E-Learning Policy

From: Bishop, Tina <tbishop@greenville.k12.sc.us>
Date: Fri, Apr 23, 2021 at 2:55 PM
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL Email] E-Learning Policy
To: Kevin Dehlinger < yahoo.com>, Fitzpatrick, Raashad
<rfitzpatrick@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Nance, Darryl <dnance@greenville.k12.sc.us>,
@gmail.com @gmail.com>
Cc: Rhymer, Scott <wrhymer@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Lage, Janet <jlage@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Fitzer,
Nancy <nfitzer@greenville.k12.sc.us>
Mr. Dehlinger,
Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. As we approach yet another change to the attendance plan
for this school year, your questions and concerns are completely understandable. I have collaborated
with several members of the district’s administrative team to respond to your questions below.
What is the official policy for those exposed to a Covid-19 infected student in school in the
classroom since the plexiglass has been removed?
We will continue to follow the DHEC/CDC guidance on quarantine. A student considered to
be in "close contact" with a COVID 19 positive individual must be excluded from school for
10 days. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of a positive individual for at least
15 minutes (with or without a mask). Though students are allowed to return to school after
10 days of quarantine if they are symptom free, they cannot participate in close contact
athletics until the full 14-day quarantine period has elapsed. Students in the classroom not
in "close contact" will not be excluded from school, but should closely monitor symptoms for
14 days.
Are students who are exposed to another student who was exposed (secondary exposure) but has
not tested positive required to quarantine?
No, only students identified as direct exposures to a positive case will be required to
quarantine.
A number of student athletes are approaching their most crucial part of the year academically with
finals and athletically with playoffs and state tournaments approaching. An exposure to an infected
student or secondary exposure could easily derail a student's academics for the year and
opportunity to play the most crucial games of their sports season. Why is a transfer to e-learning at
this point not allowed to avoid this situation if the student and parent should choose? If we were to
get a snowstorm or powerful thunderstorm, the county would have not problem transferring the
entire high school population to e-learning.
From the beginning we have understood the importance and value of in-person learning.
Students and parents chose the brick and mortar option for this reason. Our expectation is
that students be present on their assigned days in the building (75% plan) or daily (100%
plan) in order to receive in-person instruction. If students are not present, they will be
marked absent (except on their designated eLearning day on the 75% plan). If student
athletes are marked absent, the policy states they can’t participate in games that day.
Please see the following mitigation strategies for students to reduce the chance of
exposure:
Students do have the option to transfer to the Virtual Program if space is available at
the school. The majority of virtual classes at Eastside are full. It should also be
noted that some of our classes are not offered virtually. In most cases, transferring

to the Virtual Program could change the student’s schedule and teacher. The
change would be for the rest of the year without an opportunity to switch back to
brick and mortar this school year.
Work with their teachers on where they sit in the room that would help mitigate close
contact.
There are some classes where students can remain 6 feet away on particular
days. If they want to do that, please allow them to sit in those seats.
If they can’t remain 6 feet away, the can reduce their potential close contact
by sitting in a corner or against a wall where the number of desks within 3 feet
of them is less than if they were in the center of the room.
In the cafeteria during lunch, seek out seats where other students are not
sitting to be able to keep 6 feet away. Or, if you have other areas you allow
students to go during lunch (Media Center, etc.), then encourage them to go
there so that they can remain 6 feet during lunches.
The staff at Eastside has been made aware of these mitigating measures and
have been asked to accommodate student requests whenever possible.
THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK, if masks work as indicated by
medical professionals and GCS, why is it necessary to quarantine a student who was exposed or
secondarily exposed with a mask on in class? Medical professionals have been indicating for over
a year now that masks are supposed to protect us from infection. So, if they do and GCS agrees,
why is the quarantine necessary? If masks do not protect us, why require them at all?
A mask is not a substitute for social distancing and should be worn in addition to social
distancing in all social settings. Masks are a barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets
from reaching others and studies show that masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn
over the nose and mouth. A student can still be exposed through "close contact" if they are
wearing a mask.
The CDC, DHEC and our local hospital systems agree that mask-wearing together with
social distancing, and other preventive measures, such as hand hygiene and enhanced
cleaning of frequently used surfaces, effectively mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Masks are required when appropriate social distancing can't be maintained.
Our goal is always to provide clear, concise and timely information to our parents and students. As soon
as the state’s legislation was formally approved, we communicated the impact of this change to our
attendance plan via a school-wide phone home and parent and student backpack email and text
message sent on Wednesday, April 21. Information has also been posted on the district’s website.
Please know that you are always welcome to contact me directly so that I can answer (or find the
answers) to your concerns. In your email, you referenced speaking with several administrators at
Eastside. If you could please let me know who you have spoken with so that I can ensure that all of our
staff members are on the same page so as to avoid any confusion in the future, I would greatly appreciate
it. I can be reached at 864-355-2810.
In Service,
Tina E. Bishop
Principal
Eastside High School

From: Brown, Ryan <RyBrown@ed.sc.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2021 7:09 PM
To: Brown, Ryan <RyBrown@ed.sc.gov>
Subject: Executive Order No. 2021-23 - Emergency Measures Regarding Face Coverings, Vaccine
Passports, & Other Matters
Importance: High
District Superintendents,
This evening Governor McMaster issued Executive Order 2021-23, attached, that has language
pertaining to the use of face coverings in South Carolina public schools. Due to the lateness of the
Order, the legal ambiguities, and the absence of a DHEC opt out form, the state face covering
guidelines will remain in effect until such time as the agency has the opportunity to confer with legal
counsel and provide further guidance.
As noted in the Order, face covering requirements as they relate to students and staff on school
buses have not changed as a result of President’s Executive Order No. 13998 (Executive Order on
Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel) (Jan. 21, 2021); CDC Order Under
Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 264) and 42 C.F.R. §§ 70.2, 71.31(b),
71.32(b) (Requirement for Persons to Wear Masks While on Conveyances and at Transportation
Hubs) (Jan. 29, 2021).
Ryan Brown
Chief Communications Officer
South Carolina Department of Education
Office: 803-734-5080
Cell: 803-206-5254
Visit SCDE’s Newsroom
The information contained in this transmission is intended only for the use of the person(s) named
above. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email. The South
Carolina Department of Education is neither liable for the proper and complete transmission of the
information contained in this communication nor for any delay in its receipt. Communications to and
from the South Carolina Department of Education are subject to the South Carolina Freedom of
Information Act, unless otherwise exempt by state or federal law.

To: Rainey Knight
Subject: FW: [External] FW: UPDATE RE: Executive Order No. 2021-23 - Emergency Measures Regarding Face Coverings,
Vaccine Passports, & Other Matters
From: Brown, Ryan <RyBrown@ed.sc.gov>

Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 10:48 AM
To: Brown, Ryan <RyBrown@ed.sc.gov>
Subject: UPDATE RE: Executive Order No. 2021-23 - Emergency Measures Regarding Face
Coverings, Vaccine Passports, & Other Matters
District Superintendents,
After a thorough legal review of Executive Order 2021-23, the South Carolina Department of
Education (SCDE) finds no legal grounds by which the Governor can set aside a policy and regulatory
directive issued by another constitutional officer or constitutional board whose power is not derived
from the state of emergency nor the Executive Branch but by the South Carolina Constitution and
Code of Laws. This power is reserved solely for the South Carolina General Assembly. The Governor
thoroughly understands the rule of law and surely recognizes this but has been successful in his
mission of circumventing public health guidance by inciting hysteria and sowing division in the
waning days of the school year.
Rather than wage a debate over constitutionality that would pit elected officials, students, and
families against one another, Superintendent Spearman has, effective immediately, rescinded the
state face covering policy with the exception of the school bus requirement that is now required by
the federal government. The SCDE recommends school boards and administrators confer with their
legal counsel as to what liability protections, if any, are provided by DHEC’s opt out form.
Superintendent Spearman and the SCDE continue to urge schools and districts to follow DHEC’s
public health guidance as they have throughout the pandemic.
DHEC’s form is posted here - https://scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/Library/D-4286.pdf
Ryan Brown
Chief Communications Officer
South Carolina Department of Education
Office: 803-734-5080
Cell: 803-206-5254
Visit SCDE’s Newsroom

From: Simmer, Edward D.
To: Walker, Trey; Plowden, Mark
Cc: Spearman, Molly; Traxler, Brannon
Subject: [External] Masks in schools
Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2021 6:46:27 PM
Trey, Mark,
We saw that the Governor made remarks today saying he is opposed to children wearing masks in
school. From a health and safety standpoint, our very strong recommendation is that children
should continue to wear masks in school until the end of this school year. Although children rarely
have serious COVID-19 symptoms (though they can have, especially adolescents), they can carry and
spread the disease to others in the classroom. In addition, if they get infected at school, they can
spread it outside the school walls to their higher-risk family members or others, leading to additional
cases and deaths. We have been very successful at reopening schools in SC, but a major reason we
have avoided major outbreaks in a school (which would force the school to close) is because of the
precautions taken, including very importantly, wearing masks. There are also studies that show that
there is essentially no risk of harm to children from wearing a mask.
Brannon and I would like to talk with the Governor on this issue as we are very concerned about the
risk of removing the mask requirement during the remaining few weeks of this school year, with the
hope we can walk this back a bit and have him say he does not children required to wear masks
when school starts in the fall. We are available any time if he is willing to hear us on this one.
Thanks!
Sincerely, Ed
Edward D. Simmer, MD, MPH, DFAPA

Director
S.C. Dept. of Health & Environmental Control
Office: (803) 898-0124
Mobile: (803) 422-2068
Connect: www.scdhec.gov Facebook Twitter

From: Renwick, Laura A.
To: Symmes, Brian
Subject: [External] Interview and statement
Hi, Brian,
Dr. Simmer accommodated an interview with Adam earlier today, and below is what we're
sending to other outlets asking for a statement.
Below is a statement attributable to Dr. Edward Simmer, DHEC Director.
“We understand that when the Governor makes a policy or decisions, he has to
consider many different factors. At DHEC, our role is to focus on public health and
advise the Governor on public health issues. Looking at where we are in the
COVID-19 response, we are hopeful. We’re making good progress and we are
starting to see infection rates drop, but we’re also still seeing a percent positivity
rate around five percent and that’s concerning. That means there is still a lot of
disease transmission occurring in our communities.
“Although we are getting more and more South Carolinians vaccinated, we are
not close to herd immunity yet. From a public health standpoint, DHEC
recommends that those municipalities with mask ordinances in place should keep
them in place for now, and children should continue to wear masks in school at
least through the end of this school year. When school starts in the fall, we can
revisit that recommendation based on how many people are vaccinated and how
close we are to herd immunity, and we are hopeful that masks will no longer need
to be mandated for students. We support the current federal CDC
recommendations, and we believe that staying the course with regard to wearing
masks and taking other appropriate precautions for a while longer is currently the
best approach for public health, and that has been and continues to be our
priority.”
TY!
Laura Renwick
Public Information Officer
Media Relations
S.C. Dept. of Health & Environmental Control
Office: (803) 898-7263
Mobile: (803) 622-1208

From: Marsh, Jordan
To: Tubbs, Brett
Subject: RE: [External] RE: Florida Education Commissioner Face Covering Letter
Very helpful. Thank you for sharing. Best, Jordan
From: Tubbs, Brett <Brett.Tubbs@fldoe.org>

To: Marsh, Jordan <JMarsh@governor.sc.gov>
Subject: [External] RE: Florida Education Commissioner Face Covering Letter
Josh, below is the link to the memo that we sent out regarding the lifting of the mast mandates in
schools. If you’ve got any more questions, let me know. Happy to help.
Brett
http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/19861/urlt/OptFacemaskPolicyMemo.pdf
Brett Tubbs
Press Secretary
Florida Department of Education
325 West Gaines Street, Room 1524
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Florida Department of Education
O: 850-245-9648
PL: 850-245-0413
From: Marsh, Jordan <JMarsh@governor.sc.gov>

To: Tubbs, Brett <Brett.Tubbs@fldoe.org>
Subject: Florida Education Commissioner Face Covering Letter
Appreciate you sharing a copy of the letter.
Best,
Jordan
Jordan Marsh
Director of Federal Affairs
Office of Governor Henry McMaster
State of South Carolina

(803) 509-0581
jmarsh@governor.sc.gov

From: Megan Finnern
To: @gmail.com
Cc: Rea, Micah; Milisic, Sonja
Subject: [External] Fwd: Pamela Evette - Website Contact Form
Date: Thursday, April 29, 2021 8:35:09 AM
Good morning Ms. Dulin,
Thank you for reaching out to Lt. Governor Evette via her professional website, she
appreciates hearing from you. Since your correspondence has to do with official matters, I am
forwarding it on to her staff in the Governor’s Office.
In the future, should you wish to contact Lt. Gov. Evette or Governor McMaster to correspond
on issues related to official state business, I encourage you to do so directly via the Governor’s
website: https://governor.sc.gov/contact-governors-office.
All the best,

Megan
Megan Finnern
Principal / Consultant
mobile:
www.finnernconsulting.com
Begin forwarded message:
From: WordPress <info@pamelaevette.com>

Subject: Pamela Evette - Website Contact Form
Date: April 29, 2021 at 12:31:10 AM EDT
To: megan@finnernconsulting.com
First Name: Sarah
Last Name: Dulin
Email: @gmail.com
Phone:
City: Simpsonville
Message: Lt. Gov. Evette,

Thank you for your service to the residents of SC, particularly those of us in the
Upstate.
I'm sure you are aware of the challenges facing families and schools this year

because no mothers of students have escaped the wrath of 2020 completely.
I'm a mother of four young children, and am currently serving my community on

the Greenville County School Board. I felt called to run for a seat when schools
were continually closed without stakeholder input, and because they have
continued to run with policies created by poor leadership at the local and state
levels. I'm particularly disappointed in DHEC and those that choose to follow
every bit of flawed data and recommendations they produce.
I'm writing only for myself and not representing the School Board.
I have spoken up for my constituents because they deserve and demand better
from our public schools. In our meeting yesterday, it became clear the the
Superintendent is not pleased that the power to decide on students' attendance was
taken from him, and it seems there is some retaliation by very strictly enforcing
DHEC's rules on quarantining. Now that classrooms don't have room for
plexiglass, which the CDC has said was not effective anyway, any student in a
shared space of someone that gets Covid will have to quarantine, even if that
means missing exam prep and in-person exams, "proms", and graduation.
Graduation ceremonies will be at The Wellness Arena, which holds around
15,000 people. Graduation classes are closer to the 400-500-person range. Family
tickets are limited. There will be ample space for 6ft distancing, and we've been
told the plan is to make the children sit away from each other and wear masks,
even though some have been vaccinated, but for anyone that is forced in to
quarantining and is still healthy, 6ft and a mask is not an option.
Is the point of 6ft and a mask so that if someone IS SICK, they will not infect
others? Because it seems that now even THAT isn't enough.
I don't know if you are aware of the graduation traditions at Carolina High, but at
the beginning of the year seniors pledge to complete the year and sign their names
on a graduation gown. Gowns are then reproduced for all students and each
student gets a personal presentation of THEIR GOWN once they've earned it by
someone that is proud of them. Earning the right to walk is a BIG DEAL. Many
are the first in their families to even FINISH High School. If even one of those
students is told to quarantine while healthy, at no fault of their own, rather that to
walk to get the diploma they have earned, it will be a huge injustice and cause
more emotional distress that, quite frankly, I don't know from how someone
would easily recover. Working for 12 years for something to have it taken away
due to the fear of others, when you're healthy anyway, is simply not okay.
I appreciate the words the Governor spoke today. I've been battling the "height of
ridiculosity" for some time, and I could use some more backup.
When Molly Spearman said that masks would be a choice after this school year,
Dr. Royster said we'll follow DHEC and keep them on students at least through
summer school. The current Board has been rubber stamping his agenda for so
long that they can't see when he's just plain wrong. However, right now, I don't
think there are enough votes to override the "ridiculosity".
When Dr. Royster responds to Gov. McMaster's words, I feel certain he will
inform us all that DHEC is where we get health guidelines, not the Governor,

when what he really should have been doing all along is listening to the Board
talk about the wishes of our residents, who can read about DHEC, the CDC, talk
to their personal doctors, etc and make decisions for themselves and their
families.
I've been told that DHEC's regulations/recommendations for schools and
quarantining are LAWS. When I pointed out that the legislature didn't pass them
and they didn't have the Governor's signatures, I was told that DHEC can fire
School Boards, Superintendents, and completely shut down schools so we will not
be doing ANYTHING other than following their advice.
Private schools are not following these quarantining policies, nor MANY of these
distancing and mask Covid policies, and they are operating successfully.
We need help. Can you point me in a direction, or offer advice on who I need to
speak to? I have literally zero political experience other than being a steadfast
voter. Our students need normalcy in order to thrive, and so far what has made a
difference is pressure from Columbia.
Also, I absolutely LOVE Cottage Grove, and was happy to see that you and Gov.
McMaster visited. I had the pleasure of visiting Susan's first Cottage Grove shop
when she opened in a basement retail space over by Bob Jones. I love that she has
expanded. She's a local treasure for sure!
Thank you for your time.
Sarah Dulin
--
This e-mail was sent from a contact form on PamelaEvette.com

Date: April 30, 2021
From: Burke Royster
Re: Joint Resolution Implementation Question
Ms. Mosley asked: Due to a few questions (and confusion) I received from
parents, I made an inquiry as to the legislative intent of the Resolution
where ALL virtual school students wanting to return are concerned. I
received a phone call, as well as a copy of the attached memo, from the
Governor's office and was told that the intent of S.704 was for Districts to
work with ALL families who seek to attend five-day, in person instruction.
My understanding is that this should not be limited to only those virtual
students who moved into our zoning after the start of the school year. I
recognize that it may not make sense to many of us why a parent would
choose to make such a change this late in the school year, but I firmly
believe in a parent's right to choose.
So my questions are as follows ... 1. Did Dr. Royster receive a copy of this
clarification, and 2. Do we intend to comply?
Response: Yes, we received the memo sent Tuesday afternoon (attached),

which contains guidance from the SDE Director of Government Affairs,
and does not constitute a legal opinion. What we must follow is the
content of any legislation, which may or may not completely reflect the
intent of its authors. Mr. Webb has advised that, while there could be a
basis for a different interpretation, a reasonable interpretation of the
legislation supports that we are currently in compliance with S.704 given
that all parents of GCS students have been offered the choice to either
enroll in the 100% Virtual Program or in our in-person program, the latter
of which now allows five days of attendance at all levels.
The memo states, “…the legislative intent is to require districts to work

with families who are now seeking for their student to attend five-day, in-
person classroom instruction and to fulfill any request for in-person
instruction.” Although parents understood at the time of enrollment that
their decision to place their children in the Virtual Program was for the
entirety of the 2020-21 school year, we have indeed worked with families
all year long to accommodate requests to transfer to brisk-and-mortar
school, including establishing a waiting list and a process for assessing

hardship cases. Throughout this school year, we have accommodated as
many such requests as possible within the limitations of our safety
protocols that were so effective in limiting exposures in school buildings
and the resulting quarantines and potential isolations of our students and
employees. We will continue to work with any family experiencing a
hardship; if you are aware of any such circumstance, please refer the
parent directly to the Ombudsman.
Nancy Fitzer
(864) 355-8862

From: Sarah Dulin
To: Barton, Melanie
Subject: [External] School Board and the Liability Safe Harbor Act
Date: Thursday, May 6, 2021 10:16:24 AM
Hello, Ms. Barton!

I represent Five Forks, Simpsonville, and Fountain Inn on the Greenville County School
Board. Angie Mosley has spoken VERY highly of you and appreciates all of your help
recently.
Maybe you can help me better understand an issue that I'm having.
Last week I heard the Governor call for restrictions to be lifted and for areas of SC to get back
to normal. Hooray! Yes, this is what we want. However, he also signed the Safe Harbor Act
into law making it so that we are clearly open to liability lawsuits if we don't follow all
recommendations for public health from DHEC, Molly Spearman, and whoever else.
This puts the Board in an impossible position. I am beginning to think we'll have to votes on
the School Board to override the Superintendent and end all of these restrictions on the
children, however, NOT if the State says that we can be sued if someone even FEARS that
they COULD have POSSIBLY been exposed to Covid, or frankly ANYTHING contagious, on
a campus.
I'm also concerned about our Superintendent quarantining more students out of spite, now and
next year. The Governor has forced him to allow students to attend class "5 days", but now
that they are closer together, he has taken a "look what you made me do" approach to
quarantining students. We had a discussion in a recent meeting where I offered to ask the
Board to vote to ignore the DHEC guidelines in order for HEALTHY students to attend
graduation ceremonies (where everyone is masked and at least 6ft apart anyway!) regardless
of their quarantine status. Dr. Royster said his hands were tied and that because the Governor
was putting more students on campus that a consequence of that is that some may miss
graduation if they are identified as "close contacts" of a sick person. IT IS RIDICULOSITY.
Why are we still quarantining HEALTHY people?!?
I represent 20,000 voters in Greenville and Laurens County. Teachers, parents, and other
caregivers have been very clear. They're ready for masking to be a choice.
Is this liability issue something you can help clarify for me with Governor McMaster?
I'm willing to ask the Board to meet and vote about it, but I'll never get anywhere with this
new liability law recently signed.
--
Sarah Dulin
School Board Trustee
Greenville County District 27
843-814-1181
Dulin4GCSBoard@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/SarahDulinGCSBoard/
404 Carriage Hill Road

Simpsonville, SC 29681

From: Brian Peacher
To: Barton, Melanie
Subject: [External] Senator Mike Lee
Date: Monday, May 3, 2021 11:20:31 AM
HI Melanie,
Senator Mike Lee has been trying to get the CDC to share with the world their reasoning for
forced masking our kids. There is none.
This letter says it all.
letter-to-cdc-on-chidlren-face-mask-guidance---final-signed-4.22.21.pdf (senate.gov)
--
Phone/Text: All Hours
Email: @SCHomeGuide.com
Real Estate Broker License #

Date: May 12, 2021
From: Burke Royster
Re: Update Regarding Executive Order
Based on advice from Mr. Webb, further discussion with District Leadership, and DHEC’s publishing of an
opt-out form this morning, we have issued the following information to principals. This will be followed by
a message to parents and the media later today.
Principals,
As you know, GCS and other schools and districts throughout South Carolina have recently received
conflicting direction related to COVID safety protocols:
On May 11, Governor McMaster issued an Executive Order, which has the effect of law, to provide
a mask opt out process for families, in conflict with pandemic recommendations from SCDHEC,
the CDC, and local/state medical health systems.
As noted in the Order, face covering requirements as they relate to students and staff on school
buses have not changed as a result of President’s Executive Order No. 13998 (Executive Order on
Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel) (Jan. 21, 2021); CDC Order
Under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 264) and 42 C.F.R. §§ 70.2,
71.31(b), 71.32(b) (Requirement for Persons to Wear Masks While on Conveyances and at
Transportation Hubs) (Jan. 29, 2021).
The State Board of Education has a standing order for the wearing of masks on school buses and
when entering/leaving/or moving through school buildings. They have stated that their face
coverings requirements remain in effect until further notice.
On April 28, the Governor signed into law the General Assembly’s SC COVID-19 Liability Immunity
Act that provides protection from liability for entities that follow SCDHEC protocols and guidelines.
After a thorough review of Executive Order 2021-23 by our General Counsel, we are prepared to move
forward with our best good-faith effort to reconcile these conflicting directives.
A link to the DHEC form allowing parents to opt out of the GCS mask mandate will be posted on our
website ASAP. It will take effect tomorrow. The signed/completed form can be returned to school by
students, dropped off in the front office by parents, or submitted to the principal electronically. Schools
must determine a way to process these forms and easily identify students who have parental permission
to opt out of mask wearing (such as a sticker on the students’ ID badge).
Parents Concerned About Removal of Mask Mandate

Students whose families do not want their children to attend school due to these changes will not be
moved into the Virtual Program at this point. Because we can no longer maintain recommended
protocols, we will allow parents to opt for their students to work from home for the remainder of this year if
they submit a request to the principal in writing (email or hard copy) by Monday, May 17.
All requests to remain home for the rest of the year must be verified by the school via phone call or in–
person discussion. These students will be allowed to work from home and will be provided assignments

and tests (as with a student who is out with a short-term illness). Schools should record attendance for
those students as administratively excused absences as long as work is completed. Final exams for
these students must be proctored online. EOCs cannot be taken remotely, so all EOCs must be
administered in settings with six feet of social distancing.
Consequences to Student Seating

In plexiglass pods, students who test positive and do not mask will result in all other students seated in
that pod being required to quarantine. If a student wearing a mask tests positive, only unmasked
students in the pod will be required to quarantine, per DHEC guidelines. Be sure to include this
information when submitting COVID reporting.
Students who are 18

Can opt out of wearing masks without parental permission.
Employees
We are continuing to determine the impact of this executive order on employees. At this time, the mask
mandate remains in effect for employees.
Draft Parent Message to be sent this afternoon

Parents, DHEC has now published a form allowing parents to opt out of the Greenville County Schools’
facial mask mandate. We are posting that form to our district website at www.greenville.k12.sc.us. If you
wish to opt out of the requirement that your child wear a mask, complete this form and submit it to your
child’s school by dropping it by the front office, sending it with your student, or emailing it to your school’s
principal. Because we can no longer maintain recommended public health protocols, we will also allow
parents to opt for their students to work from home for the remainder of this year, if they submit a request
to the principal in writing (email or hard copy) by Monday, May 17. Students will be marked absent, but
those absences will be coded as administratively excused so long as work is completed. Additional
information is posted on the GCS website.
Nancy Fitzer
(864) 355-8862

From: M Burns
To: Singh, Sym
Subject: [External] Re: DHEC Parental Waiver for Face Masks re Executive Order 2021-23
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2021 11:37:14 AM
Attachments: image001.png
This was very helpful… I have many constituents unbelievably upset with superintendent
rosters position this morning

On Wed, May 12, 2021 at 11:14 AM Singh, Sym <SSingh@governor.sc.gov> wrote:
Good Morning,
Attached and below is the DHEC Parental Waiver for Face Masks. You may have heard
from many of your constituents regarding this waiver per Executive Order 2021-23, which
empowers South Carolina parents to decide whether their children should wear masks in
public schools throughout the state.
DHEC’s form is posted here - https://scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/Library/D-4286.pdf.
Sincerely,
Sym Singh

To: Limehouse, Thomas; Walker, Trey; Lambert, Grayson; Symmes, Brian
Subject: FW: [External] Fwd: Information from the Superintendent
See how Greenville is handling this. . .
Melanie
From: @aol.com @aol.com>

Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2021 12:56 PM
To: Barton, Melanie <mbarton@governor.sc.gov>
Subject: [External] Fwd: Information from the Superintendent
Melanie,
This was the communication sent to staff and teachers about an hour ago. Several points to reference:
1. Stickers on ID badges to indicate who has turned in a waiver.

2. Parents who aren't comfortable can opt for e-learning and school/teacher has to provide it. I thought
the recent Five-day resolution protected teachers from having to prepare both types of lessons?
3. The "Consequences to Seating" section... only the unmasked will be forced to quarantine if "exposed".
4. They are STILL going to require employees to mask.. I'm fighting this one, but may have to calla
special meeting to get results...we'll see.
I just wanted to keep you informed about how things are going down here in GCS. I am not seeing this
amount of "detail" around protocols in other districts. Are you?
Thank you again for all of your help!

Angie
From: Angie Mosley @gmail.com>
To: Angie Mosley < @aol.com>
Sent: Wed, May 12, 2021 12:34 pm
Subject: Fwd: Information from the Superintendent

From: Fitzer, Nancy <nfitzer@greenville.k12.sc.us>
Date: Wed, May 12, 2021 at 11:29 AM
Subject: Information from the Superintendent
To: Angie Mosley @gmail.com>, Carolyn Styles @gmail.com>, Chuck Saylors
< @gmail.com>, Debi Bush < @aol.com>, Fitzer, Nancy
<nfitzer@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Fortner, Gail <gfortner@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Derek Lewis
<derek@lewis4schools.com>, Lynda Leventis-Wells < @gmail.com>, Michelle Goodwin-Calwile
< @gmail.com>, Morrison-Fair, Glenda < @gmail.com>, Pat Sudduth
<sudduthp@bellsouth.net>, Roger Meek < bellsouth.net>, Royster, Burke
<broyster@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Sarah Dulin < @gmail.com>, Brinkman, Teri
<tbrinkma@greenville.k12.sc.us>, Lisa H. Wells < @yahoo.com>

From: Sarah Dulin
To: Barton, Melanie
Subject: [External] School Board and the Liability Safe Harbor Act
Date: Thursday, May 6, 2021 10:16:24 AM
Hello, Ms. Barton!

I represent Five Forks, Simpsonville, and Fountain Inn on the Greenville County School
Board. Angie Mosley has spoken VERY highly of you and appreciates all of your help
recently.
Maybe you can help me better understand an issue that I'm having.
Last week I heard the Governor call for restrictions to be lifted and for areas of SC to get back
to normal. Hooray! Yes, this is what we want. However, he also signed the Safe Harbor Act
into law making it so that we are clearly open to liability lawsuits if we don't follow all
recommendations for public health from DHEC, Molly Spearman, and whoever else.
This puts the Board in an impossible position. I am beginning to think we'll have to votes on
the School Board to override the Superintendent and end all of these restrictions on the
children, however, NOT if the State says that we can be sued if someone even FEARS that
they COULD have POSSIBLY been exposed to Covid, or frankly ANYTHING contagious, on
a campus.
I'm also concerned about our Superintendent quarantining more students out of spite, now and
next year. The Governor has forced him to allow students to attend class "5 days", but now
that they are closer together, he has taken a "look what you made me do" approach to
quarantining students. We had a discussion in a recent meeting where I offered to ask the
Board to vote to ignore the DHEC guidelines in order for HEALTHY students to attend
graduation ceremonies (where everyone is masked and at least 6ft apart anyway!) regardless
of their quarantine status. Dr. Royster said his hands were tied and that because the Governor
was putting more students on campus that a consequence of that is that some may miss
graduation if they are identified as "close contacts" of a sick person. IT IS RIDICULOSITY.
Why are we still quarantining HEALTHY people?!?
I represent 20,000 voters in Greenville and Laurens County. Teachers, parents, and other
caregivers have been very clear. They're ready for masking to be a choice.
Is this liability issue something you can help clarify for me with Governor McMaster?
I'm willing to ask the Board to meet and vote about it, but I'll never get anywhere with this
new liability law recently signed.
--
Sarah Dulin
School Board Trustee
Greenville County District 27
843-814-1181
Dulin4GCSBoard@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/SarahDulinGCSBoard/
404 Carriage Hill Road

Simpsonville, SC 29681

Alexandre Ricardo Schwaida

FOIA McMaster Removes Mask Mandate

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From: @aol.

just left you a message!

Call me on my personal cell phone

On Apr 25, 2021, at 9:47 AM @aol.com wrote:

I can not express enough, my appreciation for your willingness to listen to

Due to my being unavailable, I asked Sarah Dulin, who is also a newly

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 177

On behalf of my thousands of constituents who have made it clear that

---------- Forwarded message ---------

Greenville County Schools

Date: April 15, 2021

To: Board of Trustees

From: Burke Royster

Re: COVID Protocols Questions

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 178

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 179

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 180

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Wilson, Tom" <TomWilson@anderson5.net>

Thomas A. Wilson, Superintendent

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 024

The governor’s legal team is looking at all options to accomplish this. . .

From: @aol.com @aol.com>

Thank you, again! I look forward to hearing more!

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 036

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 037

McMaster said he might.

He declined to be more precise, repeating only that he would do “whatever is necessary.”

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 038

From: @aol.com < @aol.com>

---------- Forwarded message ---------

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 039

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 040

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 041

Visit SCDE’s Newsroom

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 376

From: Brown, Ryan <RyBrown@ed.sc.gov>

DHEC’s form is posted here - https://scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/Library/D-4286.pdf

Visit SCDE’s Newsroom

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 375

Edward D. Simmer, MD, MPH, DFAPA

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 304

Below is a statement attributable to Dr. Edward Simmer, DHEC Director.

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 291

Very helpful. Thank you for sharing. Best, Jordan

From: Tubbs, Brett <Brett.Tubbs@fldoe.org>

From: Marsh, Jordan <JMarsh@governor.sc.gov>

Appreciate you sharing a copy of the letter.

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 010

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 011

Good morning Ms. Dulin,

All the best,

Begin forwarded message:

From: WordPress <info@pamelaevette.com>

First Name: Sarah

Last Name: Dulin

Message: Lt. Gov. Evette,

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 271

I'm a mother of four young children, and am currently serving my community on

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 272

Thank you for your time.

2021-06-25 Response to K. Brown (G'ville News) FOIA Request 273

Date: April 30, 2021