Md. State Board of Education rescinds school mask policy

Control goes to local boards; Move must be ratified by General Assembly

By Dave Ryan
Posted 2/22/22

BALTIMORE – The Maryland State Board of Education voted 12-2 Tuesday to rescind its policy requiring masks in public schools. The decision could return control of the issue to local boards of …

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Md. State Board of Education rescinds school mask policy

Control goes to local boards; Move must be ratified by General Assembly

Posted

BALTIMORE – The Maryland State Board of Education voted 12-2 Tuesday to rescind its policy requiring masks in public schools. The decision could return control of the issue to local boards of education.

The move must still be approved, however, by the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, which must hold a hearing and take the final vote. The committee approved the current masking regulation and will have the final say.

Following a closed-door session during the meeting, State Board of Education member Charles Dashell Jr. read a motion, saying, “As the health data is continuing to show improvement, we are now at a point where we can restore the authority for these decisions to our local jurisdictions. Given the improving health metrics, it is appropriate for the local boards of education to make the decisions which they feel are in the best interests of the students they serve and providing them a safe, in-person learning environment.”

Prior to the vote, a presentation by Jinlene Chan of the Maryland Department of Health showed that Maryland is the state with the highest proportion of fully vaccinated citizens.

“While having the lowest case rate in the country, as a whole, Maryland still experiences substantial spread, according to the CDC,” she said. Dorchester and Caroline counties are among those in the state with high levels of community transmission.

State Superintendent of Public Schools Mohammed Chaudhury said, “I would recommend to you to send it back to the locals…The conditions are better.”

The Dorchester County Board of Education had joined the voices calling for a return to local control. In a letter to President of the State Board of Education Clarence C. Crawford dated Feb. 17, president of the county board Laura Layton wrote, “We are requesting that the Board immediately rescind the regulation requiring face coverings for all students in public schools, including the elimination of all three ‘off-ramps’ and transfer this authority back to the local Boards of Education.”

The so-called off-ramps were health-based measurements which could be used by counties to opt out of the mask requirements. According to the board’s decision Tuesday, the off-ramps will not have to be used in counties’ decisions.

Last week, Governor Larry Hogan lifted the mask requirement for state buildings and called on the state board to rescind its policy. Following the vote, he released a statement, saying, “I want to thank the State Board of Education for heeding our call to rescind its school mask policy…At a time when Maryland has the lowest COVID-19 metrics in the country, this is a major step for normalcy and the well-being of our students. The General Assembly must now act swiftly to ratify the State Board’s decision.”

Dorchester County Superintendent of Public Schools W. David Bromwell sent an email to parents later that day in response to the vote, saying, “The Maryland State Board of Education today voted to rescind the COMAR emergency regulation mandating the use of face masks in schools, effective March 1, 2022. If this action is approved by the General Assembly Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR), decisions regarding mask requirements will be returned to local jurisdictions. It is our understanding that the Committee will meet within the next two weeks.

“While awaiting the AELR review, we will continue to follow COMAR 13A.01.07 Face Coverings in School Facilities, the emergency regulation regarding masking, as it is still in effect.

“This may be a quickly changing situation, and I will provide updates as developments require. Thank you for your patience.”

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