(La Porte, IN) - The superintendent of the La Porte Community School Corporation responded to people opposed to the mask mandate.

Mark Francesconi says the mandate that went into on Wednesday stems from changes made at the state level. The state chose to require students without masks to be quarantined if it was determined through contact tracing that they had close contact with a COVID-19 infected person.

Close to 450 “healthy individuals” have been sent home for a period of time to learn virtually since the start of the school year due to the state requirement.

Francesconi disputes claims that staff members were blocking doorways to keep students from leaving yesterday during a walkout at the high school to protest the mandate. Instead, he said staff members monitored hallways and doors, not blocking or locking doors as some people online alleged.

Francesconi said the times are challenging and the atmosphere charged but feedback from the community is respected, and cooperation from everyone is appreciated.