Sioux City schools will no longer implement a temporary mask requirements for schools. The decision comes as a federal court ruling reinstates Iowa’s ban on mask mandates.
The school board voted just yesterday to give their superintendent the authority to require masks when coronavirus cases rose in schools. The short-lived plan would have mandated masks for individual buildings.
But, now district officials say they will not move ahead with the emergency protocol. They say they want to ensure their safety measures both follow the law and keep students healthy.
The district reported 235 coronavirus cases among students and staff last week.
Iowa’s unemployment rate fell to 3.5% in December, a state agency reported Tuesday.
The rate was down from November’s 3.7% rate and reflected that 5,200 more people found jobs, according to Iowa Workforce Development. The percentage of Iowans in the labor force also increased slightly.
Iowa’s rate was ranked 20th nationally. Nebraska continued to have the nation’s lowest rate at 1.7%.
The national unemployment rate for December was 3.9%.
