Schools
Cranford School Board Will Enforce Masking At Next Two Meetings
After the last meeting was canceled due to a woman refusing to wear a mask, the district announced it will enforce masking until March 7.
CRANFORD, NJ — After the last Cranford Board of Education meeting ended abruptly when a woman in the audience refused to wear a mask, Superintendent Dr. Scott Rubin sent an update to the school community on mask requirements for future meetings.
While the district will make masking optional starting on March 7, in accordance with Gov. Murphy's recent announcement to lift the state mandate, mask-wearing will be enforced at the next two Board meetings — on Feb. 14 and Feb. 28.
The previous meeting on Jan. 24 only lasted about 30 minutes after an audience member refused to comply with Murphy's executive order that required people to wear masks inside school buildings.
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When she refused to attend the meeting virtually or leave the building, the Board adjourned the meeting.
Read more: Maskless Woman Forces School Board To Cancel Meeting In Cranford
Find out what's happening in Cranfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In his message on Thursday, Rubin wrote that at the next two meetings, residents have the optional of participating either in person or virtually. He said the Board also has a process for individuals who qualify for a mask exemption, which requires them to submit paperwork to the district's attending physician.
The procedure for applying for a mask exemption can be found on the cover page of the Board agenda.
According to the Board's policy, law enforcement officers can remove a person from a meeting if they are disruptive or an interference.
"We ask that community members not place the Board in a position where law enforcement has to be called to assist; it places a burden on our police officers and also diverts their attention from potentially urgent matters in our community," the statement said.
"Rather, if residents object to executive orders, please focus your efforts on those individuals who either created the orders or who have the power to affect change through legislation, not on a group of volunteers who are bound by their oath to enforce them."
Rubin said the Board expects all attendees to be respectful and compliant with the mask policy in order for official business to take place and for residents to be heard.
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