Wearing A Mask Could Be Optional In Stamford Schools March 2

STAMFORD, CT — Masking in Stamford schools could be optional beginning March 2.

The Stamford Board of Education is now aiming to discuss and possibly vote on whether to repeal the school district's mask policy on March 1. Last week, the Stamford Health Department recommended March 15 as a potential date to go mask-optional, but COVID-19 numbers have been improving.

The state's mask mandate for schools ends on Feb. 28.

"We now are considering a March 2 date," said Superintendent Dr. Tamu Lucero during the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting Wednesday night. Lucero noted that her administration is waiting for more data to come out Thursday from the state health department.

"If the numbers look better we are going to make some different recommendations. I will be asking the board for a board meeting next Tuesday to have a conversation about this with our health professionals," Lucero added.

Last week, Stamford Public Schools recorded 25 COVID-19 cases, significantly down from a high of 885 the first week in January.

"We're going to continue to look at the data and make a decision off what it's telling us," Lucero said. "Our numbers look really good here in Stamford. We want them to continue down this road."

Lucero said she will be speaking with principals this week and preparing buildings for a possible transition to mask-choice. She stressed that masks will still be strongly recommended.

The board voted 5-4 to postpone a decision on the mask policy to Lucero's desired date of Tuesday, March 1. Board members Fritz Cherry, Joshua Esses, Becky Hamman and Nicola Tarzia opposed, and expressed interest in voting Wednesday night.

During the public comment portion of Wednesday's meeting, several parents spoke passionately about masks in schools, and said the masks are damaging students' social and emotional learning. They urged the board to vote on repealing the policy Wednesday night, despite the fact that no change would go into effect until March 1 at the earliest.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends universal indoor masking by all students (ages 2 years and older), staff, teachers and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.