SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — As of Monday morning, school districts throughout New Jersey are mask-optional. It took a long road to get here, but no matter what districts have decided for themselves, there are sure to be people on both sides of the debate who are upset.
The COVID-19 mask debate has taken hold of school board meetings all over the country, as passionate parents have pleaded to either hold on to the masks or dump them immediately.
Camden and Willingboro are among the districts keeping mask requirements, saying it’s just not safe enough yet to go without them. Most districts, though, will be mask-optional.
When Cherry Hill announced plans to go mask-optional, it caused a reaction on both sides of the debate as parents shared their thoughts at the most recent school board meeting. KYW Newsradio was there to hear from parents.
“My 4-year-old has a genetic disorder that puts him at high risk, and I am concerned about his safety at school,” said one parent.
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“I am in enthusiastic favor of optional masking,” said another parent. “And as we accept COVID as part of our daily lives, I expect more restrictions and interventions to be lifted, such as socially distanced lunches.”
“It’s obviously a complex issue with a lot of sides, but putting it back into the parents’ hands to make the right choice for their children, I believe, is the right choice,” said another.
“I have children who do not eat at your schools because they don’t feel safe,” said a parent.
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“I know everyone has COVID fatigue, but it’s not over,” said another.
Gov. Phil Murphy says it’s time to leave the pandemic phase behind and enter the endemic phase of the virus so everyone can get on with a normal life. He says people who want to keep masking up are free to do so, and the state will not tolerate any bullying of kids for the choices they make about wearing masks.