SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — When the new school year begins in the fall, masks will not be mandatory in New Jersey classrooms.
Gov. Phil Murphy has said he expects a return to full-time, in-person school instruction. He’s been asked repeatedly: Will students have to wear masks?
He has previously said they likely would have to continue wearing them. But unless something dramatic changes, Murphy now says the answer is “no.”
“Masking by students while in their school buildings will not be mandatory unless their district decides to require masking as part of its own protocols,” he announced Monday.
The governor said teachers or students who feel more comfortable wearing masks may continue to do so.
The mask rules are part of updated back-to-school guidance released by the state Department of Education. The guidance outlines how to maximize space in classrooms between students and staff and what to do if a student or staffer has COVID-19 symptoms.