In another shift, Baker Administration will mandate masks for K-12 school opening

Massachusetts K-12 (@MASchoolsK12) tweeted Fri, Aug 20, 2021:

PRESS RELEASE Education Commissioner to Ask Board for Authority to Mandate Masks in Public Schools to Provide Time to Increase Vaccinations - https://t.co/CLO6N5sTXC #MaEdu #COVID19MA @MassEducation

"Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley will ask the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to grant him authority to mandate masks for all public K-12 students, educators, and staff through October 1 to ensure schools fully reopen safely and to provide time for more students and educators to get vaccinated. After October 1, the commissioner’s policy would allow middle and high schools to lift the mask mandate for vaccinated students and staff only if the school meets a certain vaccination rate – at least 80 percent of students and staff in a school building are vaccinated. Unvaccinated students and staff would still be required to wear masks.

The mandate would include exceptions for students who cannot wear a mask due to medical conditions or behavioral needs.

 

The Commissioner will revisit the mandate in the near future to revise it as warranted by public health data. The purpose of the policy is to encourage higher vaccination rates among students and staff and to implement a uniform policy for all schools to begin the year."

Continue reading the full press release:  https://t.co/CLO6N5sTXC

Assuming the proposal does come to reality, the Franklin School Committee will remove from its agenda its own policy update as 'not needed'

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/discussion_action_b_-_policy_adoption.pdf

Press release hared from Twitter:   https://twitter.com/MASchoolsK12/status/1428737492627468290?s=03

CommonWealth Magazine coverage ->  https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/in-another-shift-baker-mandates-masks-in-schools/

State education commissioner Jeff Riley. (Photo by Llyr Johansen)

"Public health ... cannot be adequately protected by individual choices"

"The end of the institution, maintenance, and administration of government, is to secure the existence of the body politic, to protect it, and to furnish the individuals who compose it with the power of enjoying in safety and tranquility their natural rights, and the blessings of life…"

—Preamble to the Massachusetts Constitution

"AS TWO MOTHERS who work in education policy, we have been steeped these past 18 months in the ongoing deliberations regarding public education during this pandemic. Where students were educated, under what conditions they were educated, on top of the ongoing questions of how and how well they were educated has been what we have lived for the past year and a half. As we prepare for our third school year impacted by COVID, much of the energy of this discussion has settled on masking.

Gov. Baker and state Education Commissioner Jeff Riley have abdicated their responsibilities for the public health of our schoolchildren and school staff. As a result, this decision has devolved to local school committees, who are on the receiving end of heated arguments of individual choice regarding this public health issue. School committees have been flooded with petitions and messages from abled, medically healthy families making claims to individual rights. However, school committees oversee government schools, and these public schools thrive only when the common good is available to all its students, not just the abled and medically robust. "

Continue reading the essay online ->  https://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/baker-should-protect-all-students-with-mask-order/ 

A young girl on the playground at the Mather Elementary School in Dorchester on October 1, 2020, the first day some students returned to in-person classes. (Photo by Michael Jonas)

Senator Rausch Files Universal Masking Bill For MA Schools

This afternoon (08/02/21), Senator Becca Rausch filed SD. 2723, An Act mitigating COVID-19 transmission among children and families, a bill requiring universal masking among students and staff in all Massachusetts K-12 schools as well as childcare programs licensed under the Department of Early Education and Care. The legislation will also ensure no attendance penalty for students with vaccination appointments during school hours and provide paid time off for parents and caregivers taking students to get vaccinated against COVID-19. 

This bill comes on the heels of last week's announcement from the Baker Administration of nonbinding masking recommendations for Massachusetts schools. The guidance contradicts updated CDC guidance and the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidance on COVID-19 safety in schools, both of which strongly recommend in-person learning with mandatory mask-wearing indoors and vaccinations for all students, staff, and faculty.

"With less than a month before our children head back to school, this administration chooses to play Russian roulette with the health of Massachusetts students and families,” said Senator Rausch (D-Needham). “I have heard from so many parents, school committee members, teachers, and public health experts who are rightly worried, angry, and frustrated in the wake of DESE’s weak, unenforceable, and non-binding mask recommendations. This administration fails to follow the science to the detriment of every community in this Commonwealth. I filed this bill to give families and school staff the piece of mind they deserve about protecting their health and safety.”

In addition to mandating masks for students aged two and older and staff in Massachusetts early, primary, and secondary education programs, the bill also provides excused absences from school for COVID-19 vaccination appointments, as well as up to six hours of paid leave for any parent or caregiver bringing their child to get immunized against COVID-19. 

"It is the job of our government to protect our most vulnerable - which includes our Commonwealth's children," said Dr. Natalya Davis, a Quincy pediatrician who led a sign-on letter last week among medical professionals to mandate universal masking in Massachusetts schools. "Masks are a simple, safe, cheap intervention that saves lives. This is not debatable despite what opposing voices say. With Delta cases rising, masks are crucial to control the spread of COVID-19 while we vaccinate as many eligible individuals as possible." 

Today, by unanimous vote, the Massachusetts Teachers Association also called on Governor Baker to implement a mandatory mask requirement for all students and staff in all programs from pre-K through higher education.  

Direct link to SD 2723 ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1baXTWUCnszLjJP_N26OxlBkfj2oBP_jv/view?usp=sharing

Shared from Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BeccaRauschMA/status/1422302120989143040

Senator Rausch Files Universal Masking Bill For MA Schools

"Baker did acknowledge he is considering new mask rules for schools"

"Baker says Mass. is different as other states impose COVID-19 protocols" 

"Governor Charlie Baker said Wednesday that he sees no need for Massachusetts to reinstate restrictions in response to rising COVID-19 cases, striking a contrast with President Biden, who is urging Americans to mask up again and requiring many federal workers to get vaccinated. 

“Massachusetts is in a much better position than the vast majority of the states in this country with respect to how we deal with and how we’re prepared to deal with COVID,” Baker said, speaking at an environmental funding event. 

But Baker, who tussled with the state’s largest teachers unions over COVID-19 vaccination and safety measures, did say that he is considering mandating masks in public schools this fall."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/28/nation/baker-says-mass-is-different-other-states-impose-covid-19-protocols/ 

"Baker did acknowledge he is considering new mask rules for schools"

MA News: masks for students remains question; masks make sense in circumstances

"FOR MONTHS, there was hope that by the time children returned to school this fall, they could be vaccinated against COVID-19. But with approval of vaccines for children still months away, many public health experts believe students – particularly in elementary school – need to continue wearing masks inside school buildings. The topic is becoming a significant debate in Massachusetts, where the Baker administration has not yet imposed any statewide COVID-related precautions on schools this fall.  

“Masking in schools until we can ensure we’ve reached a critical mass of children [with vaccines] is almost a no-brainer,” said Vincent Chiang, chief medical officer at Boston Children’s Hospital, at a legislative hearing Monday. "

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/state-remains-mum-on-whether-school-mask-mandates-will-return/ 

"With COVID-19 cases beginning to rise again in Massachusetts, you may be wondering whether it’s still safe to go shopping, catch a movie, or do any other indoor activity without a mask.

If you’re fully vaccinated, you already have the best defense against falling ill with COVID-19, experts say. But wearing a mask could still go a long way to protect others and inhibit the spread of the virus.

Although breakthrough infections are happening, and were expected, it’s unvaccinated people who make up more than 97 percent of those hospitalized with COVID-19 across the country."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/26/metro/mask-up-if-you-want-vaccines-have-you-covered-covid-cases-rise-experts-say/ 

masks make sense in circumstances

CDC updates the K-12 Schools Guidance

"Vaccinated teachers and students don’t need to wear masks inside school buildings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines.

The changes come amid a national vaccination campaign in which children as young as 12 are eligible to get shots, as well as a general decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

“We’re at a new point in the pandemic that we’re all really excited about,” and so it’s time to update the guidance, said Erin Sauber-Schatz, who leads the CDC task force that prepares recommendations designed to keep Americans safe from COVID-19."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/09/metro/vaccinated-teachers-students-dont-need-masks-cdc-says/

Direct link to the K-12 guidance released by the CDC

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-guidance.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html

Board of Health Meeting Recap - Sep 16, 2020

The Board of Health met on Wednesday to review and revise the penalty order they had approved at their Sep 2 meeting. Feedback from Town Attorney Mark Cerel led to the revision. The revision was approved by a 3-0. As soon as the order is available, the link will be shared.

----

As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online #boh0916
https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoH0916?src=hashtag_click

• Real time reporting underway for Board of Health meeting #BoH0916
• Education is the primary tool, not wanting to use penalties - only as a last resort. They have been getting multiple requests from same place. #BoH0916 motion to withdraw motion on 9/02/20 on penalty provisions; passed 3-0 via roll call
• Motion for revision proposed for fine where social distance is not possible, second, passed 3-0 via roll call. Motion amended to be effective Thursday 9/17/20 end of day. Passed 3-0 via roll call. #BoH0916
• First cluster found in a business in Franklin. Regroup of the Board to review/revise penalty process as devised in prior meeting. #BoH0916 should it be considered to include parties for residential areas as well as business entities. Limit to face coverings as those as frequent
• Discussion on keeping meeting virtual as long as possible, many have high risk family members. Want to avoid unnecessary contact. #BoH0916 meetings are still functioning well in the remote mode. Meeting adjourned with roll call vote

Sep 2, 2020 - recap = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/09/board-of-health-recap-sep-2-2020.html

 

Board of Health Meeting Recap - Sep 16, 2020

In the News: "Dakotas lead US in virus growth as both reject mask rules"; Franklin Town Clerk resigns

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:  

"Coronavirus infections in the Dakotas are growing faster than anywhere else in the nation, fueling impassioned debates over masks and personal freedom after months in which the two states avoided the worst of the pandemic.

The argument over masks raged this week in Brookings, South Dakota, as the city council considered requiring face coverings in businesses. The city was forced to move its meeting to a local arena to accommodate intense interest, with many citizens speaking against it, before the mask requirement ultimately passed.

Amid the brute force of the pandemic, health experts warn that the infections must be contained before care systems are overwhelmed. North Dakota and South Dakota lead the country in new cases per capita over the last two weeks, ranking first and second respectively, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers.

South Dakota has also posted some of the country’s highest positivity rates for COVID-19 tests in the last week — over 17 percent — an indication that there are more infections than tests are catching."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20200912/dakotas-lead-us-in-virus-growth-as-both-reject-mask-rules?rssfeed=true 

Teresa Burr resigns

"A week after it was learned that 3,000 ballots sat uncounted in a vault on primary election night, Town Clerk Teresa Burr announced her intent to resign.

In a letter released Friday night to Town Council Chair Tom Mercer, Burr said she was resigning to “re-establish confidence with the voters of this community in their elections.”

“After the events of the past three months, this election season has been the most challenging election cycle of my career,” Burr wrote. “I fully support our Town Clerk office staff and election workers to take my place and lead this community through future elections.”

Franklin was one of three communities, along with Newton and Wellesley, to have uncounted ballots as of the morning of Sept. 2, the day after the primary. About 750 ballots that were dropped into Newton’s secure ballot drop boxes in the last three hours of the election went uncounted, while Wellesley was unable to get to about 100 ballots, between late drop box submissions and absentee ballots."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200912/franklin-town-clerk-burr-resigns-after-election-snafu?rssfeed=true

Mask requirements - Franklin Public Schools, MA

Hello FPS!   

Please make note of our mask guidelines as posted on our Reopening Website! 

Mask requirements - Franklin Public Schools, MA

More info on the Reopening web site https://t.co/av14MmSQep #staysafe  #DosandDonts

Shared from Twitter:  https://t.co/K0y3aDkuDs