In a move that many Republicans describe as “long overdue,” Governor Kathy Hochul let the mask mandate expire on Wednesday, March 2. She made the announcement of the mandates end on February 27.
“I applaud all of the parents who stood up and fought to protect their children,” said Senator Mattera. “Your advocacy for your kids is admirable, and it is why we are where we are today.” The decision to not extend the mandate comes in the face of an ongoing court challenge and marks the first time (apart from a brief one-day interruption) in two years that students are no longer required by the state to wear masks. It is still the prerogative of school districts and parents to have children wear masks if they choose.
In a recent poll, 58% of registered voters in New York State were against the dropping the mask mandate in schools, with the New York State Union of Teachers (NYSUT) also cautioning against the move.
Locally, the mask mandate in schools has led to large-scale protests at the H. Lee Dennison Building, as previously reported by The Messenger.
New York City is waiting until March 7 to phase out school masking, although NYSUT is lobbying against New York City ending its mandate.
One Smithtown student described the first day of unmasked schools as “Great!” The same student added that “a few students” were still wearing masks in the hallways. The trend of large swaths of students going without masks while a few of their peers went into school with masks was repeated throughout Long Island.
The issue of school masking preciously drove school board elections around Long Island along with other issues. Recently, protests against the school mask mandates intensified as Hochul dropped the mandates for businesses. Parents and students were upset at what many viewed as a major inconsistency.
