AACPS Undecided On Masks For Fall Classes: Reports

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Anne Arundel County Public Schools has not yet decided whether it will require masks this fall, reports said. Officials are concerned with students who are too young to get the coronavirus vaccine, Capital Gazette reported.

The Pfizer-BioNTech inoculation is cleared for emergency use in residents 12 and older. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots are still only available to locals 18 and up.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said fully immunized residents don't need to wear face coverings or social distance. The CDC still suggests masks for unvaccinated locals 2 and older. Health officials also recommend 3 feet of space between students. Full school guidelines are posted here.

"Right now we’re in a standby mode to see whether masks will be something that will be required, recommended, mandated," AACPS Superintendent George Arlotto said at a July 7 board of education meeting, according to Capital Gazette journalist Hope Kahn.

Masks At Summer Camps

Children younger than 12 at AACPS summer camps are currently wearing face coverings, FOX 45 News wrote. The publication added that employees working with this age group are also wearing masks.

School officials stopped short of saying face coverings are required for attendees without an immunization, reporter Amy Simpson explained.

Masks are no longer mandated in Maryland and Anne Arundel County. Individual establishments still have the right to require face coverings.

Plans For Fall Classes

AACPS announced this spring that it would target mostly in-person classes this fall. The school board noted that it anticipated an end to hybrid instruction. Fully online classes would likely remain an option for some students, the board explained.

School leaders mentioned that these plans were tentative and could change.

The board of education's next meeting is Aug. 18. Classes are slated to start between Sept. 8 and Sept. 10, depending on the grade level. The full schedule is available at this link.

To learn more about the mask debate, check out the full stories on Capital Gazette and FOX 45 News.

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• Fully In-Person Classes Could Come This Fall: AACPS

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