Local School Districts In Favor Of Statewide School Mask Policy

Local school districts have expressed support for the decision announced earlier this week by the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to require universal mask wearing in school buildings until at least October 1.

The issue of whether or not to require mask wearing by students and staff has been widely debated at school committee meetings for the past month, with parents and health professionals presenting pointed arguments on both sides of the issue.

There recenly has been conflicting guidance from policy experts. On July 20, the state's Department of Public Health and DESE issued a joint statement that recommended mask wearing for unvaccinated staff and students, but did not go as far as issuing a requirement. It left the decsions up to the local school committees. Meanwhile, the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended universal mask wearing in school buildings.

Norwood School Committee chair Teresa Stewart said on August 25 that she supported the vote by DESE's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) the previous day to require universal mask wearing in schools through October 1, when it will be reviewed. She noted that DESE either has not provided guidance on school policy over the course of the pandemic, or that its recommendations have been in conflict with those of other government advisory entities.

"The BESE vote that happened on 8/24, that granted Commissioner Riley the authority to mandate statewide universal masking in public schools, is a vote I support," she said. "However, it won't change anything in Norwood specifically since we already locally decided at our August 4 School Committee meeting to reinstate our universal masking policy, in accordance with the recommendations of the CDC and AAP," she said. "My understanding from the MASC [Massachusetts Association of School Committees] is that over the past month, more than 100 districts have already put in place universal masking policies, since guidance from the state wasn't forthcoming.

Link to August 4 School Committee meeting, courtesy of Norwood Community Media (NCM): http://173.13.93.5:1500/Cablec...

"Some of the most arduous aspects of the last year and a half have been either waiting for guidance from the state when decisions locally needed to be made, or receiving guidance from the state that did not align with recommendations from the CDC or AAP," Stewart added.

Derek Folan, the interim superintendent of the Canton Public Schools, said he supports the DESE mask decision, calling it "a really good move." It aligns with the school committee's decision to continue a universal indoor mask policy.

"Our school committee voted earlier this month to have all grade levels and adults wear masks through October 7," he said. "Our approach aligns with how the state is responding. It makes us feel good that we were ahead of the curve."

Because of concerns about the delta variant, Folan added that "it is now appropriate to move to a mask mandate.

"We thought long and hard about it," Folan said of Canton's mask policy decision. "No one loves masks. It's kind of tough to go back to wearing them after the summer. But it's more important to have a good school opening. If wearing masks is an overture for that, then I support it."

He also cited the most recent vaccination rates for school-aged youth in Canton. As of Friday, 85 percent of those ages 16 to 19 have been fully vaccinated. Of those ages 12 to 15, there is a 57 percent full vaccination rate.

"Our goal is to have an 80 percent vaccination rate," Folan said.

"Throughout this pandemic, we have followed the science," said Westwood Superintendent Emily Parks. "As we make important health and safety choices, we will seek input from the experts we trust. It is helpful to get clear and straightforward guidance from DESE and the MA Department of Public Health."

The Walpole School Committee will discuss back-to-school policies at its meeting tonight at 7 p.m.