Amid Mask Battles, Superintendents Follow The State's Ruling

LAWRENCE, NY — The mask mandate controversy in Nassau County caused the Lawrence School District to reevaluate the situation for its students and staff.

Bruce Blakeman, fewer than two weeks on the job as county executive, sent the state's mask mandate to school districts to decide what is best in their communities.

That ruling, though, is being contested, seemingly, at every level, as the state and county democrats have said Blakeman does not have the authority.

However, in Lawrence that wasn't immediately clear, as Board of Education President Murray Forman, and formerly part of Blakeman's transition team, said, according to the Herald: "It is not clear to me who is the ultimate arbiter, State Education Department or the Department of Health. Right now we have to see what the story is."

But, Lawrence Schools Superintendent, Dr. Ann Pedersen was more definitive in a comment to families.

"There is much talk about changing mandates for schools in regards to masks and quarantine. At the current time, we are maintaining the mask mandate," she said.

Pederson is reducing the quarantine to five days for COVID-19 close contact of unvaccinated people.

Hewlett-Woodmere Superintendent Ralph Marino is also in agreement with the state's mandate and understands that it "can only be repealed by a legislative act, rescinded by the Department of Health, or rendered invalid by a court."

The mandate will remain in place for everyone in the school buildings "until its expiration on January 15," Marino said in a statement. "We are expecting to hear shortly on whether this mandate will be extended."