WARREN, Pa. — Students, teachers, and others who do not have a valid medical excuse will have to wear masks in Warren County School District schools starting Tuesday.

At an emergency meeting Thursday morning, the school board could not come together on a motion to address the state’s new mask mandate.

After hearing comments from nine attendees – seven opposed to the mandate, two in favor – the members of the board voted down two possible motions.

The first would have had the district “assuming” medical conditions that preclude face coverings when students, staff, visitors, and others were in the district’s buildings without masks after a reminder.

The second was to update the health and safety plan to reflect the changes ordered by the Department of Health and Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday.

The virtual meeting was attended by almost 200 people.

“The way the order was worded… the order usurps and applies whether the school district amends its plan or not,” District Solicitor Chris Byham said. “If nothing gets done today, it still goes into effect Sept. 7.”

Superintendent Amy Stewart said the governor has stated he is prepared to shut down schools that do not follow the mandate.