Speak Up: Delaware schools face decisions on end of mask mandate

For the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision about whether to require masks in Delaware schools will come from districts themselves. The state’s mask mandate has been in effect for schoolchildren kindergarten-age and older since they returned in a hybrid model for the 2020-21 academic year. The masking requirement remained as they shifted to full-time, in-person learning for 2021-22.

But Gov. John Carney announced recently that the mandate will expire at 11:59 p.m. March 31. He said that deadline will give parents time to vaccinate their school-age children and also allow districts and schools the opportunity to consider their own local mask requirements.

• Why does the governor have the authority to mandate masks but not the guts to say they are not needed? — Kevin McCarthy
• Typical of a dictator like Carney to allow schools to choose! — John Smith
• “A real leader like Donald Trump ‘forces’ schools to do something” ... yet back when Carney was trying to mandate that kids wear masks in school, you all were saying he was a communist dictator forcing these mask mandates. Your whole “choice is what Democrats do” ideology sounds a whole lot like what communist dictators would do. — Gary Greer

Delaware interfaith leaders, DNREC discuss climate change

Interfaith leaders from across the state gathered virtually Tuesday to discuss how they can play a part in addressing climate change. The event, which included representatives of Delaware Interfaith Power & Light and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, was prefaced by Gov. John Carney’s Climate Action Plan, released in early November.

• They can tell politicians to put a moratorium on more developments since we are a coastal state. — Beth Gallagher
• Finally, something we can agree on. — Gary Greer