No Mask Mandate, For Now, For Jersey City Schools In The Fall

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City Public Schools will not make masks mandatory when students return to the classroom this fall, but the decision is subject to change.

The district is taking its cue from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Education.

Students in New Jersey schools won't be required to wear masks for the 2021-22 school year, but Gov. Phil Murphy left districts with the option to continue requiring face coverings.

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

The CDC will update guidance before school starts in the fall, and the NJ Dept. of Education will follow suit based on CDC guidance.

"As of now, if the CDC guidance calls for no masks for students and staff, it will not be mandatory," said Deputy Superintendent Norma Fernandez, "The District, in collaboration with the Safe Return Committees, will continue to review the recommendations."

Fernandez highlighted that masks are still an important prevention strategy to slow the potential spread of COVID-19.

"The JCPS will encourage unvaccinated individuals to continue wearing masks as we continue to follow the updated NJ Department of Education guidelines," Fernandez said.

In late May, Murphy had said that New Jersey students and staff likely still be wearing masks when the next school year starts in September while offer wiggle room for high school students and others who already have been vaccinated.

At that time, Murphy did note that most high schoolers will have been long vaccinated by the time the fall arrives because those 16 and older have been able to get vaccinated since the start.

"These documents mark a significant milestone in our battle against COVID-19; an actionable blueprint for the return to full-time, full-day in-person instruction," Acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan said. "I am hopeful that these resources will empower our school communities to return all students safely to the classroom and ensure that all students, regardless of zip code or circumstance, receive a high-quality education that empowers them to compete for educational and work opportunities in the increasingly global marketplace."

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli reiterated that the best way to ensure schools can reopen safely is for everyone to get vaccinated.

"While this guidance will help schools plan for Fall, the best way to keep schools open and safe is to get vaccinated," Persichilli said. "Now is the time for parents of children between the ages of 12 and 17 to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment to allow enough time for that second shot before school starts."

With reporting from Anthony Bellano/Patch