Patchogue-Medford Schools Make Masks Optional In Classroom

PATCHOGUE, NY — The Patchogue-Medford School District started allowing students and staff to go without masks based on their individual comfort level with the proposed guidance, according to a message on the district's website.

The decision was made taking into consideration the relaxed classroom mask mandate proposed by the state that has not been addressed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the warm weather that is expected to continue over the next two weeks before the end of school.

"Recognizing that the forecast is proposed to be warm this week and for the remaining weeks of school, [Schools Superintendent Donna Jones] has determined that we will offer all staff members and students the option of continuing to wear a mask, based on their individual comfort level with the proposed guidance," the message read.

"We will continue to keep everyone posted should anything change. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation during these challenging times," the message continued.

The measure veers away from New York State's guidance, which still mandates masks in classrooms. In a flip-flop over the weekend state officials, who were leaning toward relaxing the mandate, instead opted to keep the mandate in place.

The message sites the June 4 announcement in which Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office "attempted to align protocols for wearing masks between schools and summer camps by issuing a proposed mask wearing protocol update to the Centers for Disease Control."

The update included a protocol that only encouraged, but did not require masks indoors for students and staff members who are not fully vaccinated. Masks would also not be required for vaccinated students and staff members, though "strongly encouraged in higher risk circumstances," according to the district.

Students and staff members who are vaccinated would also not need to wear masks.

District officials said that "initially" they were waiting to see if the Centers for Disease Control were going to issue a response to the Governor’s proposed guidance change, but there has not been a response.

Patch's Facebook followers seemed to have a mixed reaction when posed with the question of whether children should be wearing masks in school.

One parent wrote, "No my daughter was happy that she didn’t need a mask today. With this heat she will be coming home with hives all over her face. For once she was excited to go to school and not wear the mask."

"Not for any district," wrote another commenter, adding, "I am all for choice. I’m seeing threads of parents commenting the schools are calling them to pick up their kids due to the heat."

Yet another wrote, "No for my daughter but I respect if other families believe they should."

But commenters said the mask mandate should remain in place.

"Yes!! The virus is not gone yet!! I’m a teacher, too!," wrote one woman.

Another agreed, writing:

"If they aren't vaccinated then definitely. Remove the vaccinated population from the equation and our infection rates per capita are higher than last summer."

One woman was on the fence, chiming in with this comment, "No right answer to this one!"

The Patchogue-Medford School District is not the only one to allow students the option to go without masks on Monday. The Sachem School District's Board of Education voted to allow the measure in an emergency meeting on Sunday.