Baldwin County public schools will relax requirements for mask wearing starting Monday, March 15.

Students participating in physical education will be allowed to remove their masks during that class. Students outside of our buildings on break, at lunch or participating in outside class activities, will be allowed to remove their masks while outside, Superintendent of Education Eddie Tyler said Tuesday.

“We have come a long way through this COVID-19 pandemic and I believe we see light at the end of the tunnel,” Tyler said. “Last week our staff received the last of our two vaccinations. This will put a lot of comfort in our ability to remain open through the close of school at the end of May.”

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced that the state mask requirements will remain in place until April 9. Tyler said the school system will continue to comply with state orders and require students and teachers to wear masks at other times on campus.

He said students and educators need to continue to comply with efforts to try to control the spread of COVID-19.

“Our decision to relax or remove the mask requirement will be dependent upon our students’ cooperation in sanitizing and respecting other people's personal space as well as their general behavior and discipline when not wearing a mask,” Tyler said in a letter to parents and the public.

“Over the next few weeks, we will have the opportunity to observe how our students respond to this relaxing of mask requirements during the instructional day. It is my hope they will continue to act with the same respect and behavior they have shown throughout the school year. Parents, please take this opportunity to talk with your children about their responsibilities during this pandemic to sanitize and respect other people's personal space with or without any mask requirement,” Tyler added.