Masks May Be Off In Hopatcong Schools For Heat And Other Reasons

HOPATCONG, NJ — As the school year winds down across the region, some - including the Hopatcong Borough School District - may adjust their masking policies slightly, based on daily temperatures.

Governor Phil Murphy’s tweet on June 7 about the mask mandate in extreme weather conditions, has raised the conversation among schools and parents about his Executive Order 175, signed off in August 2020; and asking when unmasking is permitted.

REMINDER: School officials are empowered to relax masking among students and staff in their buildings given extreme weather conditions. pic.twitter.com/oBIjUfBFgT
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) June 7, 2021

In that order, Murphy outlined the exceptions for student mask mandates, which may include excessive heat, medical conditions, disabilities and indoor gym classes with social distance within a well-ventilated area.

The Hopatcong Borough Schools weighed in on the topic, which has left some with questions since Murphy's tweet.

“We certainly have and will continue to waive mask mandates when circumstances, which fall under the acceptable exemptions within the governor's executive order, warrant it,” said Hopatcong Schools’ Assistant Superintendent Joseph Piccirillo.

Piccirillo said Friday when a student’s health is at risk or temperatures are excessive, school districts may grant exceptions on the mandate.

“We have taken this into consideration recently in our non air-conditioned areas,” Piccirillo added.

The district, like many in the region and the state, has made the exceptions through the end of their school year, with Hopatcong’s last day coming up on Thursday, June 17.

The district reached out to Murphy via a letter from Piccirillo and Superintendent Art DiBenedetto on June 1, also asking Murphy to lift mask mandates for students in New Jersey for the upcoming school year. Hopatcong Schools asked Murphy for clarification, in their letter, as to why students - when in most instances in their lives will be unmasked - are expected to stay masked up in September.

Hopatcong Schools, they wrote have “excellent filtration and students are under constant supervision to ensure appropriate distancing measures,” while in school.

Questions or comments about this story? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.