Gov. Hochul to wait on metrics and science before ending school mask mandates
ALBANY, NY (WRGB) — At an education summit of sorts today, no decision from Governor Kathy Hochul on New York’s school mask mandate.
She met virtually Tuesday afternoon with school leaders and advocates from across the state.
According to those in the virtual room -- she told them she wants to follow the science, the metrics and the guidance and counsel of those in the education community before lifting or extending the mandate.
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Jay Worona of the NYS Schools Boards Association was in the meeting – he says Governor Hochul said she wants to wait to see where transmission rates are after the school break in February, when some children and families will be traveling.
Legislators also sounded off on the school mandate. New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik said in a statement:
Kathy Hochul is doubling down on her authoritarian mandates and continuing her attack on New York’s parents, students, and schools. The science is clear – children are the least vulnerable to COVID-19, but Governor Hochul refuses to lift mask mandates in schools despite multiple Democrat Governors across the Northeast dropping their mandates. When Kathy Hochul doubled down on her mask mandates on children after the New York Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional, she caused confusion across New York schools, because Governor Hochul would rather force the population least vulnerable to COVID-19 to continue masking than admit she was wrong. New York’s parents should decide what is best for their kids, not Governor Hochul.
New York State assemblyman John McDonald says:
We need to find common ground on when, not if, masks are no longer required to be worn by children when in school. This decision should be one of two ways. Either by a date certain or by a metric based evaluation by the Department of Health and the various stakeholders in the education system - Leaders, teachers, staff and parents of children. If metrics are to be used there should be a focus on voluntary vaccination, positive infection rates and indoor air quality conditions to make sure each child has a safe environment for learning.
