Lakewood Schools To Lift Mask Mandate This Week

LAKEWOOD, OH — Starting Friday, the Lakewood Schools will no longer require masks to be worn inside district buildings.

The school system is shifting from requiring face masks to recommending them, Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki told families in an email on Monday night. District leaders will continue to monitor local COVID-19 levels to determine if an adjustment in masking policies will be needed.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health could ask the district to institute a mask order at a specific building or in a specific classroom, if there's an outbreak, Niedzwiecki said. Mask orders could also be given to individual students if they're exposed to COVID-19 in their homes or at the schools.

"Through everything, I think we have all learned that if we are not feeling well, stay home. Take care of yourself and be respectful of those around you," Niedzwiecki said.

The Lakewood Schools, like much of Ohio, are seeing plunging COVID-19 numbers. Fewer positive cases are emanating from schools.

"In fact, we have the lowest numbers we have ever had since the pandemic started," Niedzwiecki said.

In late January, the Ohio Department of Health updated its health guidance for schools. The updates said:

• Schools can stop universal contact tracing.
• PreK-12th grades should continue to follow the "Mask to Stay, Test to Play" guidelines. This allows asymptomatic students to attend school while wearing a mask if they have been exposed to COVID-19.

Like communities across the nation, the debate over masking in schools turned vitriolic in Lakewood in late 2021. A Lakewood Schools Board of Education meeting was disrupted by a contingent of vocal anti-mask activists. Board members voted to discontinue the meeting rather than try and wade through the disruptions.