YOU >> I THINK IT’S SORT OFIT B OF COP OUT NOT KEEP IT IN PLACE. >> I THINK IT’S A REASONABLE POLICY. REPORTER: SINCE LAST FALL, STATE ALLOWED SCHOOLS WHERE0% 8 OF STUDENT AND STAFF ARE VACCINATED TO DROP THE MASK MANDATE. UNTIL NOW UNVACCINATED PEOPLE IN THOSE SCHOOLS STILL HAD TO KEEP THEIR MASKS ON. CERENTLY, THE STATE QUIETLY CHANGED OSTH RULES SCHOOL COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ADOPT THE SAME LIPOCY. >> I DON’T THINK HAVING KIDS WEAR CLOTHE MAKES AT SCHOOL IS GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE. REPORTER: ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS 33 SCHOOL HAVE TME THE 80% VACCINATION MARK. SEVERAL DECIDED TO KEEP THEIR MASK MANDATES INCE PLA FOR THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE NOT MET THE 80% THRESHOLD. THE STATE MASK MANDATE IS IN PLACE. IT’S SCHEDULED TO LAST THROUGH END OF FEBRUAR
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Unvaccinated students, staff allowed to take off masks in Cohasset middle, high schools
Updated: 5:40 PM EST Jan 26, 2022
Regardless of their vaccination status, all students and staff at Cohasset’s middle and high schools are now allowed to drop their masks. The policy change is possible because both schools have shown the state that 80% of their student and staff populations are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently downgraded the mask requirement to a recommendation for schools that have met the threshold. Massachusetts education officials have extended the mask mandate several times. It is currently set to last through the end of February. According to DESE, these 33 schools are approved to lift their mask mandate because they reached the 80% vaccination threshold:Hopkinton High School, Ashland High School, Westborough High School, Westwood HS, Sarah Gibbons Middle School in Westborough, Algonquin Regional High School, Norwell High School, Medway High School, Franklin High School, King Phillip Regional HS, Dover-Sherborn Regional HS, Longmeadow HS, Scituate High School, Weston HS, Milford HS, Medfield HS, Needham HS, Pollard MS in Needham, Littleton HS, Walpole HS, Cohasset High School, Cohasset Middle School, North Shore Essex Tech, Marblehead HS, Veterans Middle School in Marblehead, Masconomet Regional High School, Masconomet Regional Middle School, Nashoba Regional High School, North Andover High School, Littleton Middle School, the New England Academy School, the Corwin-Russell School at Broccoli Hall, and the Cotting School. It is up to each school to decide whether they will drop the mask mandate on campus. In Cohasset, the School Committee recently voted unanimously to change its policy.”Our son’s been here. He’s been healthy the whole time. He’s vaccinated. 80% or more are vaccinated and I think that we feel confident for him to take the mask off,” said Scott Wilson, a Cohasset parent. “We think it’s just sort of a bit of a cop-out to not keep it in place,” said William Gardner, another parent. The Cohasset School Committee declined to comment Wednesday on the policy change. Also Wednesday, DESE officials said that 450 education organizations, including 275 public school districts, have signed up for the state’s new COVID-19 at-home testing option. Schools are required to participate in preexisting symptomatic or pooled testing programs in order to take part in the new program.
Regardless of their vaccination status, all students and staff at Cohasset’s middle and high schools are now allowed to drop their masks.
The policy change is possible because both schools have shown the state that 80% of their student and staff populations are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently downgraded the mask requirement to a recommendation for schools that have met the threshold.
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Massachusetts education officials have extended the mask mandate several times. It is currently set to last through the end of February.
According to DESE, these 33 schools are approved to lift their mask mandate because they reached the 80% vaccination threshold:
Hopkinton High School, Ashland High School, Westborough High School, Westwood HS, Sarah Gibbons Middle School in Westborough, Algonquin Regional High School, Norwell High School, Medway High School, Franklin High School, King Phillip Regional HS, Dover-Sherborn Regional HS, Longmeadow HS, Scituate High School, Weston HS, Milford HS, Medfield HS, Needham HS, Pollard MS in Needham, Littleton HS, Walpole HS, Cohasset High School, Cohasset Middle School, North Shore Essex Tech, Marblehead HS, Veterans Middle School in Marblehead, Masconomet Regional High School, Masconomet Regional Middle School, Nashoba Regional High School, North Andover High School, Littleton Middle School, the New England Academy School, the Corwin-Russell School at Broccoli Hall, and the Cotting School.
It is up to each school to decide whether they will drop the mask mandate on campus. In Cohasset, the School Committee recently voted unanimously to change its policy.
“Our son’s been here. He’s been healthy the whole time. He’s vaccinated. 80% or more are vaccinated and I think that we feel confident for him to take the mask off,” said Scott Wilson, a Cohasset parent.
“We think it’s just sort of a bit of a cop-out to not keep it in place,” said William Gardner, another parent.
The Cohasset School Committee declined to comment Wednesday on the policy change.
Also Wednesday, DESE officials said that 450 education organizations, including 275 public school districts, have signed up for the state’s new COVID-19 at-home testing option. Schools are required to participate in preexisting symptomatic or pooled testing programs in order to take part in the new program.