‘No administrators in the building’: Montana school that's decimated by COVID-19 does not require masks

One town in Montana has been hit so hard by coronavirus that a reporter heard a shocking response when he called to inquire about the state of the town's high school.

Eureka Public Schools Superintendent Jim Mepham is among those who have tested positive, NBC Montana reported Wednesday.

"Please realize that every staff member is either sick, quarantined, or overworked. We are all scared for ourselves, our families, our colleagues, our students, and our community," Mepham posted on Facebook.

Micah Drew, a reporter for the Flathead Beacon, called Lincoln County High School in Eureka to inquire about the situation and was told by a student that there were not any administrators in the building until next week. The student corrected themselves to say that actually "the money person" was in the school.

In August, Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte announced an emergency rule giving parents ability to override school masks mandates.

On Thursday, Gianforte held a photo-op with unmasked students inside a different high school.

Here is the thread Drew, the Flathead Beacon reporter, posted to Twitter: