Central Reg. Schools Will Be Mask Optional When NJ Mandate Lifts

BERKELEY, NJ — For months, Central Regional Schools Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides urged Gov. Phil Murphy to put an end to the mask mandate imposed on schools because of the coronavirus pandemic.

On March 7, that request will finally be answered: Murphy announced Monday that the statewide mask mandate for K-12 schools will end. While the state mandate ends, Murphy said the decision will revert to individual school districts.

In the Central Regional Schools, the decision is clear, Parlapanides said: Masks will be optional. Read more: Schools Can Extend Mask Mandate, But NJ Requirement Ends In March

"My Board and I feel if the mask mandate was lifted we would allow our parents to have a choice," Parlapanides said Tuesday. "That is what America is all about. Freedom to make choices and liberties many other countries do not have. So parents would choose to have their child wear a mask or not."

"We have reached a point where we feel confident that we can take another step toward normalcy for our kids," Murphy said Monday. "Given the continued drop in new cases and hospitalizations, projections indicating a continued decline over the coming weeks, and the continued growth of vaccinations for our school-aged population, we believe that we can responsibly end the universal mask mandate."

The date was set for March to give school districts time to figure out adjustments. The New Jersey Department of Health also plans to send updated health guidance to schools.

The announcement said school districts and child care facilities can continue to require masks after the mandate is lifted, but school districts cannot bar anyone from wearing masks.

Parlapanides in May wrote to Muprhy urging him to end the mandate, noting that vaccination rates among staff members were rising and cases, at that time were falling. A small protest at a school board meeting the week earlier led to Parlapanides saying he agreed with the protesters, who said parents should be able to decide for their children. Read more: Central Reg. Superintendent Wants Mask Mandate To End In Schools

Murphy allowed districts some leeway in the late spring and the early fall when summer temperatures made classrooms that lack air conditioning unbearably hot. But that was a temporary measure that only fueled the debate over the masks.

State health officials said guidance will be released to school districts before the mandate is lifted "to help school districts update their policies to align with the risks and unique needs of their setting and student population to ensure safe learning environments."

"The Department will develop guidance that incorporates all aspects of safety in schools while children are unmasked," Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said. "We know that every parent wants to do what’s best for their children."

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