Walpole School Committee Votes Unanimously For K-12 Mask Policy

WALPOLE, MA - The Walpole School Committee voted on Thursday to require universal mask wearing for all staff and students, including those in pre-K.

In its first in-person meeting since the start of the pandemic, the committee went a step beyond the mask mandate ordered earlier in the week by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for those age 5 and above until at least October 1. After that time, if the vaccination rates for students and staff are above 80 percent, the local school districts can determine if they want to rescind the policy.

Superintendent Bridget Gough read an email from DESE board stating that Commissioner Jeffrey Riley was granted "the authority to mandate masks for all public K-12 students, educators and staff through October 1 to ensure schools fully open safely and to provide time for students and educators to get vaccinated."

The district's current policy requires students K-12 and all staff to wear masks. Gough noted this policy needed to be updated because now masks are not required to be worn outdoors. They still are required on school buses.

Seventy-four percent of eligible residents have received one dose of the vaccine, she added, while 68 percent received both doses.

The positivity rate, however, has been climbing this month. As of August 4, the positivity rate was 1.68, while on August 11 it has grown to 2.29. It again jumped to 3.32 on August 18 and dipped only slightly to 3.28 as of August 25. At the end of the school year, it was 0.6 percent on June 16.

"Our primary goal this year is to ensure that we have as much uninterrupted in-person learning as possible," Gough said. "We want to also additionally return to as much normalcy as possible. This means enabling student engagement such as working face-to-face in learning centers and participate in project-based learning."

Walpole is enrolled in the state Test and Stay program. If a student is exposed in school to the virus, a rapid test will be admininistered to see if the virus has been contracted. If the child is asymptomatic and not positive, the student will be allowed to remain in school, with follow-up tests given for seven days. Students exposed at three feet or less apart are eligible for the Test and Stay program. The family must provide consent.

"One of the things that I think in my mind that separates the Walpole schools is that we try very hard to operate on a level of mutual respect," said school committee member Nancy Gallivan before the public comment period. She noted that the arguments received in emails by the committee were well articulated on both sides in a respectful way."

She added that some people will be disappointed no matter the decision the committee makes.

"For me, the main goal is we want to have kids in school five days a week - all of them," Gallivan continued, saying the policy should continue with pre-K to 12. "Not cohorts, not having to sit at their desks and not interact with the other students."

For lunch, students will be spaced six feet apart.

Mark Breen, also a school committee member, said that he experienced an issue in a class he taught last year. A student was positive, and "it wiped out most of the class" because fellow students were considered close contacts. Because it was a junior-senior elective, those exposed became close contacts of those in other classes, affecting both grades.

"A whole slew of them stayed home until the dust settled," he said. "It was a mess."

Chair William Buckley Jr. said that the DESE guidelines must be adhered to in order for the district to receive state aid and accreditation.

Parent Caitlin Benoit said she felt obligated to express her opinion regarding the policy, which she opposed.

"I am here asking you to consider before you vote as an education committee: Is it really your right to decide what is best for everyone else's child when it comes to these mandates?" she questioned. "As their mother, I know what is best for my children. And I also know what is not best for my children."

Jessica Cullen, a parent, added that wearing masks can prohibit younger students from learning to read facial expressions and develop knowledge of social cues.

Shantae Holmes spokje in favor of the mask policy.

"I think that the longer we can protect our children, the better," she said.

Beth Simpson urged the committee to "err on the side of caution" and put overall community safety over individual rights.

"I would rather see my kids in school with masks than sitting behind a computer and not being able to interact physically," said parent Olga Kauf. She noted that children can transmit the virus to vulnerable individuals even if they are not experiencing symptoms.

"For me, the motion to change the policy as stated is one that allows the most students to get as close to normalized education as possible," said Buckley before the 6-0 vote to require masks for everyone in school buildings, with the exception of medical exemptions.