Chatham Parents Remain Divided On Fall School Masking

CHATHAM, NJ — A letter that parents sent to School District of the Chathams Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa is keeping the discussion of mask mandates in the school district alive.

Close to 80 parents signed off on the letter, asking that the school district require masks in the Chatham Schools for the 2021-2022 school year, based on the number of students that cannot be vaccinated for varying reasons.

Click here to view the full "Open Letter to Chatham BOE" online.

The group cited a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics from July 19, that advocates for in-person learning, COVID-19 vaccinations for those eligible and masking for anyone over the age of two, whether they are vaccinated or not.

“AAP recommends universal masking because a significant portion of the student population is not yet eligible for vaccines, and masking is proven to reduce transmission of the virus and to protect those who are not vaccinated,” the American Academy of Pediatrics wrote in a news release.

The news release also stated that in-person schooling doesn’t increase virus transmission because of masking and other measures in place.

The letter from the parents to the Board and LaSusa counters a group of parents who have attended Chatham Board of Education meetings, including the most recent one on July 12. Several concerned mothers who spoke, said they were worried students would be “segregated, discriminated against or bullied, for exercising their medical freedom," if they were unvaccinated and masked up.

Another mother spoke about the reduction of a child’s oxygen levels if they’ve been masked.

"All of our children deserve 100 percent oxygen in the air they breathe, regardless of their age, their vaccination status, their religious beliefs or their medical disabilities," that mother said.

At that meeting, Board of Education President Jill Critchley noted that they wanted to have an unmasked and mask-optional school experience for all in the fall but if they did so, it could risk funding and accreditation, especially if a masking Executive Order went into place again.

Superintendent's Take

LaSusa told Patch on Thursday the district is engaged in ongoing discussions right now with the local Departments of Health, the school district physician, and the Board attorney regarding the evolving recommendations around masking.

“We will not arrive at any firm decisions until the New Jersey Department of Health and New Jersey Department of Education update their guidance documents to school districts,” LaSusa added.

He said the School District of the Chathams plans to provide an update to parents before the school year starts “and hopefully well before then, depending on the updates from the Department of Health and Department of Education.”

LaSusa said during the week of July 12, he told staff in the next school year they:

• Could choose to give the district’s Human Resources Office proof of their vaccination and in turn, can be mask-optional.
• Could decide to not provide vaccination proof to the Human Resources Office and in that case, are under a mask mandate, plus weekly COVID testing, which he said could be subject to change, based on Department of Health guidance.

LaSusa said he reached out to the district staff before CDC and American Academy of Pediatric recommendations, siding with mask-wearing, came out.

“Everything right now is fluid, and we will make adjustments as the Department of Health and Department of Education provides us with more direction,” LaSusa said.

Chatham's Board of Education next meets on Monday, Aug. 23.

RELATED: Fall Plans Shaping Up In Chatham For Masking, In-Person School
RELATED: Chatham School District Plans To Discuss Fall Mask Mandates Soon

Editor's Note: Article was updated at 4:10 p.m. on July 29, to include Google Docs link to letter.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.