The Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 will continue to require students, staff and visitors to wear masks at its events and facilities following a failed parental challenge to a school board requirement. The Auburn-Washburn Board of Education voted 5-0 at its meeting Monday evening to reject the appeal, brought by Washburn Rural High School parent Earl McIntosh on April 13. Citing Kansas Senate Bill 40, McIntosh, a parent of two students at the high school, indicated in emails to the board that he was appealing the district's mask mandate, adopted by the board in summer 2020. Gov. Laura Kelly earlier in April signed SB 40 placing limits on COVID-19 restrictions, including school districts. Under the new law, anyone "aggrieved" by a school district's decision to implement a COVID-19 restriction or change school operations is allowed to request a hearing by the school board within 30 days of that action. The board in turn must hold a hearing within 72 hours of request for a hearing.