Ciattarelli Urges Toms River School Board To Let Parents Decide On Masks For Their Kids

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli urged the Toms River Regional Board of Education to heed the voices of a vocal crowd of residents who oppose Gov. Phil Murphy's mandate that requires students and staff to wear masks in school when classes begin in September.

Ciattarelli spoke at Wednesday's meeting, which began with a demonstration outside Toms River High School South by parents who oppose having their children forced to wear masks in school all day. Those parents, some of whom brought their children, then filled the cafeteria for the meeting, which lasted until 11:15 p.m.

Toms River school board president Joseph Nardini opened the meeting by reading a letter the board approved that urges Murphy to rescind the mask mandate he put in place for schools in the fall.

"Local districts should be allowed to decide what is in the best interests of their students and parents and guardians must be able to raise their children in a manner they deem appropriate," the board's letter said in part.

"It is the position of the Board that Executive Order 251 must be rescinded or otherwise amended to reflect the fundamental rights, laws and responsibilities vested with local school districts and parents and guardians," the letter, signed by Nardini, said.

"No one has said the times we are in are easy, but we are still a democracy," Ciattarelli said. "And in a democracy parents have the right to raise their children as they see fit."

"The data's pretty clear. Masks inhibit learning, and as your letter mentions, masks adversely affect the quality of a child's education," he said. "They can have an adverse effect on the intellectual and emotional development of the child."

"So we are asking this board to do everything in its power to represent these people who are here tonight, exercising their democratic right to speak up that they want the choice and not be forced to put a mask on their children. It's that simple," Ciattarelli said.

"Board, please, I know these are not easy times but you have an obligation to represent the people who elected you, that's how a democracy works, and I think tonight you've heard their voice," he said.

Ciattarelli also criticized Murphy for giving the mask mandate order and then leaving for Italy right afterward.

"I think the fact that the governor gave this executive order and then ran out of the country to his villa for 11 days speaks volumes about the governor," he said. "Of course in 75 days we can take care of that and we will."

"We support parental rights, I know all of you believe in parental rights to raise their children as they see fit," Ciattrelli said. "The data's pretty clear. Masks inhibit learning, and as your letter mentions, masks adversely affect the quality of a child's education. They can have an adverse effect on the intellectual and emotional development of the child."

Ciattarelli's remarks echoed ones he made Tuesday night during a town hall meeting in Pitman.

"Our system works best when we empower the individual and then let them make personal choices," Ciattarelli said Tuesday. "I'm not being cavalier about this virus. My mom has lost 12 of her fellow residents at her long-term care facility, but the data's pretty clear when it comes to young people." Read more: Ciattarelli's First Town Hall: 6 Key Takeaways

Ciattarelli on Wednesday night poked fun at Murphy's vacation in Italy, urging Nardini and the school board to send their letter by overnight delivery to Murphy's villa in Italy.

Ciattarelli was in Israel meeting with business and religious leaders when Murphy's trip to Italy began, NJ.com reported.

Both countries are on travel advisories from the U.S. State Department and the CDC urging U.S. citizens to avoid travel there due to the level of COVID-19 outbreak in those countries at this time.

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