Will Make 'Thoughtful Decision' On Mask Mandate, Says East Windsor Schools

EAST WINDSOR, NJ — The Superintendent of East Windsor schools said the district was approaching the upcoming mask mandate suspension on March 7 with “cautious optimism.”

In a letter to parents and guardians, Superintendent Mark Daniels said the district was addressing many additional details related to policy and are awaiting guidance from the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DOE).

“This recent announcement clearly provides us with a sense of cautious optimism for the months ahead,” Daniels said. “However, since there are still some additional details to address, we have not yet finalized expectations for indoor mask wearing beyond March 7. We are still awaiting updated guidance from the NJDOH/NJDOE regarding potential revisions to distancing, close contacts, and recommendations for individuals returning to school after isolation/quarantine.”

The Superintendent said the district has a month to prepare and review the information to ensure they are making “thoughtful decisions and recommendations.”

One of the biggest points of deliberation at schools statewide is the Federal mask mandate. As of now, New Jersey students will still have to mask up on school buses even after March 7.

Daniels said that after Gov. Phil Murphy made the announcement last week, the district discovered that federal masking regulations will still be required on school buses beyond March 7.

“After consultation with the local health department, monitoring the local health data, and a review of the updated NJDOH/NJDOE guidance, we will communicate updated indoor mask expectations in advance of March 7,” he said.

Statewide, it's not yet clear what prompted Murphy to put a date on the end of the mask mandate.

Murphy's decision has resulted in debates and strange behavior at school board meetings across the state, including mask protestors ordering pizzas in the middle of a Westfield meeting last week.

Many districts in New Jersey have given varied responses, but several, like Jersey City and Maplewood, said they want to keep an eye on the data before making a decision. East Brunswickhas decided to go for the mask optional policy.

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