HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — Hundreds of parents and their children rallied on Long Island on Wednesday to demand mask wearing be optional, and not mandatory, in schools.
The demonstration came a day after an appeals judge temporarily restored the statewide indoor mask mandate following an earlier ruling by Nassau County Judge Thomas Rademaker voiding the face covering requirement set by Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration.
Rademaker ruled the mandate was improperly enacted without approval from the state Legislature.
Despite the bitter cold, protesters gathered in Hauppauge chanting, "No more masks," and holding signs that read "My children, my choice" and "No mandates, no masks, no shots, no more BS."
Some children were even seen carrying signs reading, "Not an experiment."
"It's our choice, not the government's choice," said Tiara Salkind of Coram who took her two children out of school to attend the rally.
Salkind is upset over the stay that has allowed the mask mandate to remain in place as the state appeals Rademaker's ruling.
"My children have been coming home with headaches. The whole situation is just ridiculous," Salkind said.
Melissa Biamonte of Lake Grove started crying as she stood next to her 10-year-old daughter and demanded that masks be made optional.
"I think what the government is doing to our kids is disgusting. They need to be unmasked. This is just terrible for them and it's heartbreaking," she said. "It's too emotional, it's been too long, they need their freedom."
"It's time to be a kid again, we need to move on, we need to get past this," she added.
Monday's ruling overturning the mask mandate caused a day of confusion for school districts and parents, with some administrators quickly announcing masks would be optional and others continuing to enforce them.
One 15-year-old who attended the rally said her school made masks optional on Tuesday and she described it as "one of the best days in school we've had in a long time."
"We were able to laugh, we were able to talk, it was just fun. We had a good day," the teen said.
"Yesterday was such a good day," Biamonte said. "I work at a school and to see all the kids and their faces and their smiles and they were happy and they were back to being themselves."
Doctors say masks do work to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In his ruling, Rademaker said his decision is not to deny the effectiveness of masks, but that the mandate itself violates the New York State Constitution.
Hochul, along with Health Commissioner Mary Bassett, issued the statewide mask mandate for schools and indoor businesses on Dec. 10, 2021, to address the “winter surge” of COVID-19 cases. It is set to be in place until Feb. 1.
"As Governor, my top priority is protecting the people of this state. These measures are critical tools to prevent the spread of COVID-19, make schools and businesses safe, and save lives," Hochul said in part in a statement after the stay was granted. "We will not stop fighting to protect New Yorkers, and we are confident we will continue to prevail."
A court hearing is set for Friday on the state's appeal of Rademaker's ruling striking down the mask mandate.
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