Mask mandate lifted on Atlanta Public Schools’ buses

Atlanta students are no longer required to wear masks on school buses.

Atlanta Public Schools announced the rule change late Monday, the day before the district also dropped its mask mandate in school buildings.

Several metro Atlanta school districts lifted mask requirements after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday relaxed its stance on mandatory masking in schools.

APS announced Friday that masks would no longer be required in school buildings starting Tuesday. The district initially said masks must still be worn on buses.

But late Monday, the district updated its rules again.

“Due to additional guidance from the CDC eliminating the federal mask requirement for school buses effective immediately, when Atlanta Public Schools shifts to a mask-optional environment beginning tomorrow (Tuesday, March 1), the district will also extend the mask optional protocol to all school buses and transportation,” APS said in a statement.

The CDC guidance issued Friday states that the agency “does not require wearing of masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems.”

The CDC shift also resulted in Fulton County Schools lifting its requirement that students wear masks on buses. Masks have been optional in Fulton schools since Jan. 22, though the district had maintained the mask mandate for buses.

On Friday, the Fulton district announced masks are optional on buses “effective immediately.”