Masks Not Required At Bridgewater Schools Beginning March 7

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — All Bridgewater-Raritan Regional Schools will be shifting to a mask optional policy effective March 7, announced Superintendent Dr. Robert Beers.

"Masks are not required unless future law or regulation should require masks. If the Governor comes out with another mandate by law we must follow it," said Beers during the Tuesday night Board of Education meeting.

Masks will still be required on school buses and district transportation per federal order.

"Masks are not required but always permitted. The choice to wear a mask or not wear a mask is protected by applicable district policies and procedures," said Beers.

Additionally, Beers noted that the school nurse can still require an individual to wear a mask if an individual is COVID positive or suspected to be COVID positive.

Questions still remain regarding some other COVID-related policies such as physical distancing, cohorts, isolation/quarantine times, and contact tracing.

"These are three major areas we are hoping to get guidance from the state [New Jersey Department of Health] and [New Jersey Department of Education]," said Beers.

Moving to a mask optional policy will help the district "to move in line with the ending of the mask mandate," said Beers.

One resident spoke during the meeting asking the district to implement the mask optional now and not wait until March 7 claiming the masks were causing students "emotional distress." His statements were followed by a couple of people clapping.

Newly elected Jennifer Loughran shared her sentiments prior to the vote on the mask optional policy.

"If this passes some people will be celebrating. Some people. For those who may not be celebrating we read your words. Words not just for yourself but others in the community, parents siblings, grandparents," said Loughran.

"You have no idea how brave you are. You are not abandoned. Your voice is not lost. We don't know what is coming but the district and people of Bridgewater and Raritan have shown remarkable resilience facing adversities through the course of this pandemic and the aftermath of Ida... I think that the district has demonstrated it is prepared to handle whatever unknowns may come and now that the state made it possible - maks should be optional in school and I support the district's recommendations," said Loughran.

Board members then unanimously passed the amended policy allowing masks to be optional.

After the vote, student Ben Myers thanked the board for making masks optional.

"I will be able to see people's emotions because you can't see people's emotions under masks when looking at them… especially in places like in gym. It is a lot harder for me to breathe. I am just dying of breath by the end of the gym period," said Myer.

Go. Phil Murphy announced on Feb. 7 that the statewide mandate will end on March 7 but left it up to individual school districts and daycare centers to decide if they wish to continue mask requirements afterward if they choose. Read More: Schools Can Extend Mask Mandate, But NJ Requirement Ends In March

People who choose to wear masks may continue to do so. Murphy will extend New Jersey's public-health state of emergency for one more month to allow schools to make the adjustment.

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