Boston Public School students will continue to be required to wear masks when the upcoming school year begins, Boston's mayor announced on the same day that Massachusetts' governor said his administration has no plans to implement such a mandate statewide. Janey's decision is consistent with this weeks' recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which suggested everyone over the age of 2 should wear masks in the upcoming school year, regardless of vaccination status. The AAP noted that "a significant portion of the student population is not yet eligible for vaccines.""As folks know, there are a number of children who still are not eligible for the vaccine," Mayor Kim Janey said about the reason for her decision. "And so children are currently wearing masks as they are in summer school and in different programs throughout the city. And, this fall, they will be wearing masks still." The most recent guidance from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education encourages, but does not require, masking during summer school. DESE's current guidance indicates all health and safety recommendations will be lifted for the upcoming school year.A dozen Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter this week encouraging Gov. Charlie Baker's administration to require students and staff through the sixth grade to wear masks, but the governor told reporters Thursday that the state does not plan to change its current recommendations. "We don't have plans to change our current policies with respect to school in the fall," he said. "I think what's got to be the rule of thumb here is that people make decisions based on the current state of play with respect to the virus in their states, and we're in a very different place than most other parts of the country."The State House News Service contributed to this report.
BOSTON — Boston Public School students will continue to be required to wear masks when the upcoming school year begins, Boston's mayor announced on the same day that Massachusetts' governor said his administration has no plans to implement such a mandate statewide.
Janey's decision is consistent with this weeks' recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which suggested everyone over the age of 2 should wear masks in the upcoming school year, regardless of vaccination status. The AAP noted that "a significant portion of the student population is not yet eligible for vaccines."
"As folks know, there are a number of children who still are not eligible for the vaccine," Mayor Kim Janey said about the reason for her decision. "And so children are currently wearing masks as they are in summer school and in different programs throughout the city. And, this fall, they will be wearing masks still."
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The most recent guidance from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education encourages, but does not require, masking during summer school. DESE's current guidance indicates all health and safety recommendations will be lifted for the upcoming school year.
A dozen Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter this week encouraging Gov. Charlie Baker's administration to require students and staff through the sixth grade to wear masks, but the governor told reporters Thursday that the state does not plan to change its current recommendations.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
"We don't have plans to change our current policies with respect to school in the fall," he said. "I think what's got to be the rule of thumb here is that people make decisions based on the current state of play with respect to the virus in their states, and we're in a very different place than most other parts of the country."
The State House News Service contributed to this report.