Student-Athlete Masking Policy To Remain In Effect In Ellington

ELLINGTON, CT — Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Manisha Juthani has responded to a letter from the Ellington Board of Education, which had outlined concerns that guidance by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) requiring student-athletes not vaccinated against COVID-19 to continue wearing masks may create a potentially discriminatory situation.

The letter to Juthani from the board, sent by Superintendent of Schools Scott Nicol on Dec. 10, expressed "concerns about policy that visibly distinguishes between students whose families may choose different medical paths." Juthani's response, dated Dec. 16, "failed to address the Board's primary concern: the policy's potential to stigmatize student-athletes in an already challenging educational environment," according to a message from Nicol to the Ellington school community.

On Tuesday, Nicol sent a follow-up letter to the commissioner, stating the board is "disappointed that your response failed to address our primary concern." In response to Juthani's assertion that the guidance "is permissive and not mandatory," the superintendent wrote the options are "flawed" and the board "does not consider the proposed option a well-crafted choice."

Nicol concluded by stating "the Ellington Public Schools will maintain the status-quo of DPH's current required masking policy for all student-athletes."