Unmasked Residents Shut Down Hillsborough School Board Meeting

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — The Hillsborough school board was forced to shut down its meeting after some residents refused to put on masks on Monday night. (Watch the video below)

After school board members returned from executive session on Feb. 14, residents were asked to put on masks.

"For those entering, masks are required as it is a Hillsborough school building. We will be forced to adjourn the meeting if there are no masks," said school board president Paul Marini.

As audience members refused, board member Cindy Nurse said, "I say do what we need to do. It's disrespectful. We set precedence."

Shouting, arguing and fighting among audience members began to break out.

"They can't adjourn a public meeting," said one audience member.

Arguments grew louder as time passed prompting Nurse to say "if you can stop arguing that would be great."

The board then took a 10 minute recess before returning when Marini read Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order regarding mandatory face masks in all school buildings.

"We ask that those in attendance to please put on a mask or we will be forced to terminiate the meeting," said Marini. "We have no police prescence here today to enforce anything so we will need to terminate the meeting if masks are not put on."

Shouting continued among audience members with board member John Oliver suggesting the board "adjourn before this gets out of hand."

Marini suggested adjourning for another 5 minutes before police arrive.

Audience members can be heard saying it's their "constitutional right."

Oliver then made a motion to adjourn the meeting and reschedule it.

"This is going to get out of hand," said Oliver.

The board ended up taking another 15 minute recess while audience members continued to yell and fight among themselves.

Upon returning, Marini said, "We will request for one more time for masks to be put on or we will terminate the meeting and reschedule."

A motion was evenutally made and unanimously approved by all members to terminate the meeting.

A new meeting date has not yet been set.

Murphy announced last week that he will drop New Jersey's school mask mandate, effective March 7. He also added that while the statewide mandate will end on March 7, individual school districts and daycare centers will still be able to maintain masking requirements afterward if they choose. Read More: Schools Can Extend Mask Mandate, But NJ Requirement Ends In March

Hillsborough Township School District has yet to announce its plans on masking past March 7.

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