Who Decides School Mask Mandates: NYS Or Local Boards? [POLL]

NEW YORK — Hours after Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, was sworn into office in August she announced new vaccination and mask mandates for schools all around the state. That was during the delta variant.

A few days after taking office in January, during the omicron surge, Nassau County Executive Blakeman, a Republican, signed three executive orders, one of which allowed school districts to end mask mandates if that is what they wanted to do.

"Our county is larger than nine states," he said, "and we don't need people in Albany telling us what we should be doing in Nassau County."

The state Department of Education countered that the county executive of Nassau doesn't have the authority to override mask mandates.

Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said school officers take an oath to obey legal requirements.

"Counties do not have the legal authority to require boards of education to vote on specific issues," she said, adding her department expects school districts to follow all legal requirements, "including the face-covering regulation."

So far, Long Island school boards aren't changing their mask policies, WABC-TV reported.

One reason could be that Hochul implied the education department would withhold funding from school districts that do so.

It might also be because the Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association opposed his executive order.

The association said in a letter to Blakeman that the governance is clear.

"Nassau County's boards of education are creations of New York State government and not the County of Nassau," association President Michael Kelly said.

Blakeman seems to be consistent about masking. Before he actually took office, he announced he would not enforce an indoor mask mandate Gov. Kathy Hochul put into place effective Dec. 13.

The indoor mask mandate required the use of face coverings in all indoor public places unless they require proof of full vaccination against the coronavirus. Indoor spaces include entertainment venues, concert halls, sports stadiums, restaurants, grocery stores and houses of worship.

Now it's your turn to weigh in on the subject. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell us what you think in the comments.