While Collierville’s enforcement of the mask mandate was murky Monday, Bartlett City Schools Superintendent David Stephens has a more straightforward view of the situation.

If masking is what’s required by the Shelby County Health Department to keep schools open, BCS will abide by the new mandate.

Collierville changes direction, will enforce school masking

Stephens comments came after the first day of classes at the Bartlett municipal district and were in contrast to Collierville where that suburban system was not actively enforcing the masking rules set forth by the Health Department.

Collierville reversed direction later Monday afternoon.

Collierville parents push for choice following mask mandate

“I know people have a lot of different opinions and things, but if we can keep schools open and back closer to normal that’s just gonna be a better experience for our kids,” Stephens said in a phone interview Monday afternoon. “That’s all we’re trying to do. It puts us in a tough position. We’re educators. We’re not epidemiologists. We’re not physicians.”

Stephens later added: “On this issue, everybody has an opinion. It seems like we’re stuck in the middle, and we’re just trying to do what’s best by kids. I know a lot of times a lot of people don’t agree with a lot of things, but I would say the vast majority of our parents, they understand, and they’ve been great. We’re just looking forward to trying to make this school year the best that it can be.”

Stephens also noted the district can’t alternate between virtual, hybrid or in-person learning like last school year due to recent decisions at the state level. If the worst case scenario arises and a BCS school is shut down due to a COVID outbreak, it will be “problematic,” Stephens said.

“Kids need to be in school, in front of a teacher,” he said. “That is the number one thing. If there’s anything we’ve learned through this pandemic, nothing takes that place of an interaction between a student and teacher.”