NJ Parents Test Mask Policy With Pizza Delivery At School Board Meeting

WESTFIELD, NJ — Many frustrated parents and community members spoke out in support of implementing a "mask-choice" policy at Westfield Schools, as the state mandate will be lifted on March 7, at Tuesday night's board of education meeting.

Audience members even ordered some pizzas during the meeting, testing the mask mandate in schools that is still currently in place.

Superintendent Dr. Raymond Gonazález sent an email to the school community Tuesday, announcing that the school district is waiting to make a firm decision on a "mask optional" policy, as they continue to monitor the COVID situation in the schools.

This announcement came on the heels of Gov. Phil Murphy's decision to lift the state mask mandate for public schools beginning on March 7. Murphy is leaving it up to individual districts to decide what their mask policies will be moving forward.

In the middle of audience members expressing their concerns over mask requirements, a delivery of pizzas arrived and the board had to remind people that masks are required to be worn inside the school building.

“I see 10 pizzas just came in,” School Board President Brendan Galligan said. “Keep your masks on. It’s not an option. If you’d like to eat pizza, you have to go outside.”

Another board member also spoke up:

"This is a board meeting, this is not a party, this not a free-for-all," she said. "We happen to be in a cafeteria, it doesn't mean that we're having a party ... Let's put the pizzas away, get your masks back on, that's the mandate, that's all there is to it."

Prior to this commotion, many parents and community members went up to the podium to advocate for a mask-optional policy.

The first comment came from Ella Russo, a fifth grader at Franklin Elementary School, who said she is struggling in school because of the current mask requirement.

"I can barely hear my teacher speak, I can't read her facial expressions, in fact I barely know what she looks like," Russo said. "I'm falling behind and I'm so scared to go to middle school next year."

"Your decision tonight will impact me for the years to come because if you make the wrong choice I won't have the same chance to learn as much as kids from other towns and states," she said.

Many other schools in Union County have decided to make masks optional as of March 7, including Summit, Cranford, Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Clark.

Another audience member, Kimberly of Standish Avenue, called out some of the Board of Education members for not wearing masks in public themselves.

"Doesn't it feel wrong to drop your kids off at school to eat lunch sitting six feet apart and wear a mask all day while you go about your day mostly unmasked?" she said. "We've all seen you around town. We've seen you unmasked at Starbucks, we've seen you unmasked with your families for dinner, we've seen you in Addam's Tavern unmasked. Yet you still continue to be OK with our kids wearing masks to school for no reason."

She also mentioned a Facebook group that was created where over 360 Westfield residents have shown support for a mask-choice policy.

Laurie Mccormack of Tyce Place, who is a graduate of Westfield High School and has three young children in the school system, urged the district to implement the mask-optional policy "sooner rather than later."

"I can no longer watch my own children, ages three, six and eight, who are masked more waking hours during the week than they are not masked," Mccormack said. "Let's call that what it is; that's child abuse."

Later in the meeting, a police officer escorted a man out — according to Tapinto — after he got into a verbal dispute with another member of the public. The board president then decided to take a recess and was seen talking with the superintendent and board attorney privately.

When the meeting resumed, one audience member exceeded his three minutes to speak and was approached by a police officer. The board president then quickly adjourned the meeting.

González said earlier in the meeting that in the days ahead, the New Jersey Department of Health will provide additional guidance for schools to determine the impact, if any, on social distancing, contact tracing, and other mitigation factors. He said this information will help inform the district of any possible policy changes.

The full board meeting can be viewed on YouTube.

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