Wilmington School Committee Votes To Lift Mask Mandate

WILMINGTON, MA — The mask mandate at Wilmington Public Schools will be lifted Feb. 28 after the School Committee voted Wednesday night to revise the district's policy.

The board voted 5-0-1 to follow the state's lead in ending the mandate, with Mary Jane Byrnes abstaining. Byrnes wanted two readings to consider the policy, but other members wanted to decide before the state mandate ended.

Gov. Charlie Baker said Feb. 9 that the statewide requirement would end at the end of February, leaving mask policy up to districts. The Wilmington School Committee opted in August to leave in place the mask policy from last year, a decision that has not been revisited since the state put in place a mandate.

Under the new policy, masks will be optional except for:

• "Students and staff returning from a 5-day quarantine after a positive COVID test must wear a mask other than when eating, drinking, or outside, through day 10 of exposure.
• Students who are symptomatic and/or test positive for COVID in school must wear a medical-grade mask (provided by the nurse) while waiting in the health office."
• And on school buses as long as the federal transportation mask mandate is in effect.

The committee heard from a number of public commenters in favor of ending the mandate prior to the vote, as well as from School Physician Dr. Mark Curdo, who recommended ending the mandate. School Committee Chair Jennifer Bryson said the district has also heard from a number of parents in favor of keeping the mandate in place.

"We're doing our very best with what's been dealt to us," Bryson said, noting that they are not medical experts themselves. Members of the committee were inundated with emails for and against the mandate, she said.

Curdo noted that cases in the area have fallen dramatically.

"There's not a lot of coronavirus out there to catch," he said.

Sixty-one percent of Wilmington residents 5 to 19 are fully vaccinated, according to the state. Sixteen percent have received a booster dose.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.