��������

Nearly 50 superintendents from Eastern Washington school districts signed a letter Tuesday calling on state leaders to lift the mask mandate for schools — although some districts are getting rid of the requirement anyway.

In southeast Washington, all Richland School District schools and facilities closed Wednesday after board members voted 3-2 on Tuesday to make face coverings optional. The board reconvened Wednesday to “plan a path forward,” . Up north, the Kettle Falls School District voted to drop the mask mandate this week, prompting the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to issue a notice to the district to comply or risk losing state funding, according to The Spokesman-Review.

Tuesday’s letter — addressed to Inslee, state Superintendent Chris Reykdal and state Health Secretary Dr. Umair A. Shah — also requests that contact tracing responsibilities be moved away from local districts to the state Department of Health.