No Local Mask Mandates For East Brunswick Schools This Fall

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The East Brunswick School District will not be imposing any district-level mask mandates on students for fall, Superintendent Victor Valeski said.

Valeski’s comment came after Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday that New Jersey students will not be required to wear masks inside schools unless their district mandates it.

“At this time, I do not expect to impose any local mandates for masks other than what may be required by health guidelines or any future Executive Order from Governor Murphy before we open schools in September,” Valeski told Patch.

“In settings where masks continue to not be mandated when we return to school, individuals will still have the option to wear them.”

The East Brunswick School District has already put in place a plan for a safe return to in-person classes in the fall. Under this plan, face coverings were required by all staff and students except if the individual has a medical condition. However, the plan did mention that this requirement was based on current guidelines from the Middlesex County Department of Health and that updates will be made.

Speaking during a news conference Monday afternoon, Murphy made the announcement as the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) and New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) announced updated health and safety guidelines for the upcoming school year, in which all districts will be required to provide full-time, in-person learning with no remote option.

Read More Here: No Mask Mandate For NJ Students This Fall, Gov. Murphy Says

"The recommendations we are releasing today will provide school districts with a roadmap to bring students and staff back to safe, enriching school environments," Murphy said. "This guidance will help districts and educators develop plans to meet their student's educational, social, emotional and mental health needs. Our students and educators have displayed amazing resiliency during the pandemic, and I am pleased that the upcoming school year will provide a sense of normalcy that students haven't had since March 2020."

Anyone who is comfortable wearing masks will be able to do so, Murphy added.

The Department of Education released three documents for districts to follow, including:

• health and safety recommendations that provide strategies to reduce risks to students and staff from COVID-19, while still prioritizing full-time, in-person learning;
• self-assessment of district readiness to accelerate learning and to provide supportive school climates; and
• compilation of specific, research-backed priorities and practices accelerating learning.

The guidance released on Monday releases previous guidance released by the governor and included in NJDOE's The Road Back plan.

(With reporting from Anthony Bellano, Patch Staff)

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