Protests demand Archdiocese drop mask mandates at Louisville Catholic schools

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Some parents of Louisville Catholic school students are protesting over mask mandates.

A couple dozen parents protested outside the Archdiocese of Louisville headquarters on Poplar Level Road on Monday.

Most carried signs that said "faith over fear," "stop the tyranny," "my child, my choice," and "end the protocols." To chants of "No more masks," parents are demanding that students no longer be required to wear masks as a COVID precaution.

They said following guidance from the Kentucky Department for Public Health to continue masking children is no longer acceptable, and that masking does more harm than good.

"They snack together, they nap together, and yet they're still being asked to wear these masks, which are harmful," Lauren Biagi said. "They're not just a neutral or annoying policy, we're harming their ability to read each other's faces, to sense emotion, to learn language."

In a statement, Archdiocese of Louisville spokesperson Cecilia Price said its Superintendent of Schools has been monitoring cases in schools and consulting with school leaders since in-person instruction resumed in January. It made the decision last week to support Catholic schools in adopting a mask-optional protocol.

IMAGES | Parents of Louisville Catholic school students protest mask mandates

The Archdiocese has released a date for mask-optional protocols to begin, but most elementary schools likely will be announcing a start date of Feb. 21, Price said. Catholic high schools establish their own COVID-19 protocols, and some of the high schools began the mask-optional protocol this week.

The new protocol can be found at www.LouisvilleCatholicSchools.com.

Below is a copy of the updated policy:

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