Tennessee Head Start Centers Mandate Masks For Two Year Olds

Photo Credit: CMCA Clubhouse Head Start / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

Head Start Centers in Tennessee and across the country sent emails to parents Monday informing them that masks are now required for all children two and up with few exceptions.

The email reads, “Given the rapidly evolving public health emergency, the increasing presence of the COVID-19 Delta variant, and the unpredictability of the pandemic, [Office of Head Start] finds good cause to issue an emergency regulation as an Interim Final Rule allowing the agency to take immediate action to protect the health and safety of staff, children, and families.”

Upon publication of the Interim Final Rule with Comment Period, a new provision to the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) requires universal masking for all individuals 2 years of age and older.

The email continues, “It applies to all individuals in Head Start programs 2 years of age and older when:

• There are two or more individuals in a vehicle owned, leased, or arranged by the Head Start program
• They are indoors in a setting when Head Start services are provided
• For those not fully vaccinated, they are outdoors in a crowded setting or during activities that involve sustained close contact with other people

Masks will not be worn when children are napping or eating but otherwise must be worn unless the child meets very specific criteria. The only exceptions for the “narrow subset of individuals who cannot wear a mask or cannot wear a mask safely” are those individuals with a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or children with special health care needs. Head Start will work together with families of the latter and follow the child’s health care provider regarding the best type of face-covering. 

The mask mandate has been passed down to all centers from the Office of Head Start in Washington, D.C., which provides Tennessee centers with funding. 

A follow up email on Tuesday read, “We empathize with you and understand that many of you are unhappy with this rule. You may visit federalregister.gov to read the mandate and submit a formal comment.

We understand that wearing a mask will be a process of adjustment for the children. Staff is educating the children on masks use and its importance. Rest assured, if a child has difficulty wearing the mask your child will not be sent home. We will continue to work with each child at his/her own level until they are comfortable with the mask.”

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One Nashville area mother spoke to The Tennessee Conservative about the mandate.

“As a single income family, it is a free resource even with the insane amount of overstepping like required health visits and seemingly constant screenings they do. I have special needs children at home… and having the toddler out of the house is allowing us to concentrate on [them]. We will try to find a paid provider so it will certainly be a financial burden we didn’t have to worry about before. I realize many would think that our reason for utilizing Head Start isn’t as pressing as needing care for employment, but to us it is extremely important.”

She also reported that parents who refuse to wear a mask are not allowed in for pickup or dropoff at the centers. All adults, from teachers, to contractors, to volunteers are required to be vaccinated as well as masked. “I fear they’ll also mandate for parents in order to be on premises.”

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and contributor to The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.