Bristol Twp. School Board Votes For Optional Masking

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA — The Bristol Township School Board voted unanimously to drop mask mandates in schools during their action meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

The Board voted unanimously to drop the school district's mask mandate and to make them optional for all students and staff. Some members of the audience cheered at the vote.

The decision will allow both students and staff to decide if they want to wear a mask, as opposed to making it mandatory, as the Bristol Township School District, and many other districts around the country, have done since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Masks will still be required by students riding the bus, as part of the federal law, and masking a quarantining will still be required for students who come into contact with anyone who tests positive, or any students who appear sick.

In a letter addressed to parents sent on Wednesday morning, Superintendent Dr. Melanie Gehrens said that the shaming of students who either wear or don’t wear a mask will not be tolerated.

Below is the full letter from Dr. Gehrens:

"Dear Bristol Township School District Community,

At last night’s School Board of Directors meeting, the Board voted to revise the Health and Safety Plan guidelines to optional masking, which will go into effect today, Wednesday, February 23, 2022.

Although mandatory masking is no longer required, many students and staff may still choose to do so. We encourage the use of masks based on an individual’s comfort level and for high-risk individuals. Every decision should be respected — shaming, questioning, or bullying will not be tolerated.

As noted in my last letter, students must continue to wear masks on school transportation as mandated by the federal government.

All employees, contractors, and students must continue to report any positive COVID-19 test results to the district. BTSD will continue to report these positive cases to the Bucks County Health Department.

Any individual who tests positive for COVID-19 will need to continue to isolate for the required number of days as determined by the District School Nurse in consultation with the Bucks County Health Department.

Masks will remain required for any vaccinated individual who has been identified as a close contact to a positive COVID-19 case, in order to avoid exclusion from school per the new CDC guidelines. Unvaccinated individuals identified as a close contact to a positive COVID-19 case will still need to quarantine for 5 days and return to school on the 6th day after exposure if they do not have any symptoms. (Testing is recommended if the individual has symptoms). This is per current expectations from the Bucks County Health Department, which defers to CDC guidance.

Thank you for following these expectations to keep our students and staff safe, healthy, and in school.

Sincerely,
Melanie Gehrens, Ed.D.Superintendent of Schools Bristol Township School District"