Wall BOE Calls On Governor To Rescind Mask Mandate For Schools

WALL, NJ – The Wall Township Board of Education is calling on Governor Phil Murphy to rescind the new mask mandate for schools, saying it should have the ability to decide whether masks need to be optional or mandatory.

In a letter sent to Murphy's office this week, the Board of Education said it takes issue with a new executive order mandating masks in schools because the district-wide pandemic response team already decided to have masks optional during the upcoming school.

Murphy announced last week that all students, educators, staff, and visitors will be required to wear face masks indoors for the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Executive Order 251 mandates masking in the indoor premises of all public, private, and parochial preschool, elementary, and secondary school buildings, with limited exceptions.

'"We as a board have had some parents tell us how masks are negatively affecting their children’s psychological and emotional well-being, as well making it harder to learn and concentrate," the board wrote in the letter. "Parents have expressed concerns over masking students for six hours per day."

Wall has one primary school, four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.

"We strongly encourage you to reverse this order, returning decision making back to the individual school districts," the board wrote. "Deciding to mandate wearing masks in schools, a month in advance prior to the start of school, challenged the local decision-making process and took the power away from the people directly involved in this community."