This is something that ought to put smiles on the faces of the kids. And, you'll actually be able to see their smiles.

Great news for kids who go to the Elder Grove schools in Billings: face masks are no longer required.

Borders matter, don't they? Especially when it comes to school districts. It's good to see the mask mandates coming off at the big box stores. It's good to see the mask mandates coming off for our university students and faculty in Montana. But the younger kids who are the least vulnerable and the least likely to transmit COVID-19 unfortunately are the ones still stuck wearing the masks in too many schools.

Several listeners to our radio show shared the good news with me Wednesday morning that Elder Grove schools were no longer requiring masks. I confirmed the news with Elder Grove Principal Jesse Moore. (By the way, I'm a big fan of Elder Grove. Click here for a story I wrote a while back.)

School District 2 in Billings is still requiring masks until the end of this school year, unfortunately.

Now that the Montana University System has removed their mask mandate, would School District 2 remove theirs? That was the question I threw to SD2 Superintendent Greg Upham. He told me SD2 "will continue masking through the end of the year and evaluate from there."

Similar scenarios are playing out in Helena and East Helena schools.

As the Montana Television Network reports, the Helena School Board has voted to keep a mask requirement in place. Meanwhile, the East Helena School Board has voted to no longer require masks. Here was the best quote from the story out of East Helena:

“People are over this thing,” said Mark Diehl. “If you’re not, you’re free to put on a mask.”

Or go get a vaccine, of course. Vaccines are readily available if you're still freaked out, but there's no reason to keep punishing the kids with these masks. Let them end the school year on a positive note. Good job Elder Grove and East Helena schools.

CONGRATS: Graduates, Class of 2021 From Montana Schools

Congratulations to the 2021 graduates from Montana high schools and colleges. Look below to find your graduate or submit your graduate's information at this link.

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