Barnstable Schools Make Masking Optional Beginning Feb. 28

BARNSTABLE, MA — Masking in Barnstable Public Schools will be optional, beginning Feb. 28, following a unanimous vote from the school committee Wednesday night.

Gov. Charlie Baker and DESE Commissioner Jeffrey Riley last week said the statewide mask order for students and staff will not be extended a fourth time. Baker said students can safely remove masks because of the state's high vaccination rate and rapidly dropping coronavirus cases and hospitalizations from the winter omicron surge.

"Massachusetts is second in the nation in terms of students who are fully vaccinated," School Committee member Andre Kings said. "We have the lowest test rate and one of the lowest for hospitalization in the nation. We've done the work."

The vote came after a half-hour of public comment in which every parent and resident that spoke called for the committee to remove the mandate.

"Every single human on this earth is a sovereign being, and with that, we all have basic rights," parent Laura Works said. "Our children have been robbed of the right to breathe fresh air for the last two years."

"If you're going to keep this mandate, tell my kids tonight why they have to go through this," parent Steve Mullen added.

School Committee member Peter Goode said it is hypocritical to continue a mask mandate, when schools have followed DESE's rules to this point.

"Masks in schools, according to DESE are now optional, and that to me is the end of the story," Goode said.

Where masks will still be required

School officials said masks will still be required on school buses per a federal mandate and in school health offices. After a student or staff member with COVID-19 returns from isolation, they'll have to wear a mask through day 10 of their infection as well.

It's recommended, but not required, that unvaccinated students continue wearing a mask.