WINONA Minn. – The Winona School Board split on whether to end required face-masking and put off a decision until another day. The district’s CoVid response team had recommended dropping masks. The team noted:

> Infections have been trending downward.

> Schools are not contributing community transmission.

> Infections aren’t occurring at athletic and other school-sponsored events.

The argument against the recommendation was that  CoVid numbers remain too high to drop masking. A decision was tabled until the next Board meeting March 3.

How they voted

To keep masks

Michael Hanratty (District 2, West Side)

Steve Schild  (District 1, West End and bluffs)

Karl Sonneman  (at large)

To drop masks

Nancy Denzer (at large)

Tina Lehnertz (District 5, Minnesota City)

Jim Schul (District 4, south rural)