The School Committee this week unanimously rescinded the policy of mandatory face masks in school buildings.
But there was some post-Covid angst in the discussion, which is timely as summer school sessions are scheduled to begin on July 6.
The key factor in the decision is the recommendation from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) revising mask-wearing from a requirement to a recommendation. The committee endorsed that modification, including a state Department of Public Health (DPH) advisory for unvaccinated people to wear masks indoors.
“The policy was part of our response to the Covid pandemic,” said School Superintendent Philip Conrad. The policy followed guidelines of not only DESE but also the DPH and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We are now at a place where the state of emergency has been lifted,” Conrad said.
Committee member JoAnn Santiago was hesitant. “We are still in a pandemic. Children under 12 are not vaccinated yet,” she said. She said it can be presumed that some staff members also are not vaccinated, and “it concerns me to go ahead and say no masks.” The committee “needs to at least recommend that unvaccinated people wear masks in the schools.”
“Finding a way to keep masks on the young children in the summer would be a reasonably prudent thing to do. I worry if it’s just a recommendation it will never happen,” observed member Brad Morrison. Regarding the fall, “a lot’s going to change by then. DESE did not make our job easy. We have to make our own decision on this one.” He added, “Parents are going to tell their kids what to do.”
“It’s a concerning period right now,” Conrad agreed. “Our understanding a month ago was summer would continue all the protocols. That has changed.” Asked by member Ann Guay if the teachers’ union is opposed to the change, Conrad said it is not.
Member Dan Brosgol pointed out “the dissonance between kids going to camps and schools. We are going to have children who go from our summer programs to a much larger group in the high school (Recreation Department Summer Adventures) where they are not wearing masks.” He noted that ”kids are passing around bugs. They certainly are not getting Covid.”
“It’s very hard to navigate the world of masks in public nowadays,” said member Sarah Scoville. “There’s no consistency.”
In answer to a question from Scoville, Conrad pointed out that the committee can update its mask policy if conditions warrant a response in the summer or fall. “We can revisit this in August,” Brosgol agreed.
The committee also voted to rescind the memorandum of agreement with the Bedford Education Association approved last Aug. 31, which delineated working conditions amidst the limits of Covid-19. “Our mutual understanding was it would go through the emergency period,” which was lifted by the governor on June 15, Conrad explained.
These details spanned workload, remote and hybrid instruction, professional development, preparation time, presence in the buildings, curriculum, technology, and student access to technology.
“We are going to continue some of the health and safety features of the MOU,” Conrad told the committee. They are: recommending masks om unvaccinated people; continued use of high-level air filters; operating ventilation systems at a higher rate; continuing hand sanitizer access in all rooms; and making sure personal protective equipment is available to all who request it.
These items don’t need to be validated in a memorandum, Conrad said since they will help deter not only Covid-19 but also other contagious diseases.
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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