Cox orders end of mask mandate for last week of school

SALT LAKE CITY — With just weeks to go until the end of the current school year, Gov. Spencer Cox announced Thursday that he has ordered the end of the mask mandate that requires K-12 students to wear face coverings in the classroom.

However, it will only be lifted for the last week of school in each district, not beforehand. The governor added that schools have the option to keep the mask requirement in place.

Despite the end of the statewide mask mandate earlier this month, the restrictions had remained in place for students and school staff, causing controversy in some districts. Anti-mask parents loudly disrupted a Granite School District meeting last week, and had encouraged other parents to do the same in their districts.

Cox has previously said that masks would not be required for the next school year which begins in the fall.