SOUTH DEERFIELD — As COVID-19 cases decrease locally, the Frontier Regional and Union 38 school committees voted Wednesday to make masks optional in the school districts beginning March 14.
The move to a mask-optional district comes after nearly two years of pandemic-restricted learning that has included remote instruction, social distancing and mask wearing. Superintendent Darius Modestow said the decision continues the districts’ “measured responses” in adapting to the pandemic
“We did a lot of steps through the years,” Modestow said. “We’ve had to do a lot of adjusting, but we’ve always tried to do measured responses and that’s my approach here.”
As of March 14, masks will be optional and “any individual who wishes to continue to mask, including those who face higher risks from COVID-19, will be supported in that choice,” according to the policy shared by Modestow. Schools will continue to provide masks upon request, will “educate students about individual choices related to mask wearing and will not tolerate negative behavior” toward students who choose to continue wearing a mask.
Adding onto the negative behavior point, Modestow said any sort of teasing or similar behavior toward students who are wearing a mask will be quickly addressed by staff to make families feel comfortable with their choice.
“We’re going to be asking all faculty and staff to not allow that and address it immediately,” Modestow said. “Choice is going to be supported.”
According to the policy, pool testing, social distancing and ventilation strategies like opening windows will continue. The policy also gives Modestow, after consultation with the district’s head nurse and boards of health, the ability to reimpose a mask mandate in the event of a cluster of COVID-19 cases in a school or classroom. If invoked, this mandate would last until the next School Committee meeting, where members will affirm or remove the order.
The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education lifted its statewide mask mandate on Feb. 28, which left each individual school district with its own choice on whether students and staff should be masked.
At the elementary schools, parent requests for their children to wear a mask will be supported. Teachers will notify parents if children consistently decline to wear their mask, but disciplinary action will not be taken. At the high school, however, teachers will not police mask wearing among students.
“It’s just not realistic and it’d be unfair to teachers,” Modestow said about requiring teachers to monitor teenagers’ mask wearing. “We’re not trying to make things more burdensome.”
Opinions shared during the public comment portion of the meeting were divided between keeping the mandate and rescinding it.
“We are a community that wants the best for our students,” said Jennifer Smith, a fourth-grade teacher at Deerfield Elementary School. “We talk at length in my class about how people’s safety is a community effort, that everyone has to work together to help people feel emotionally and physically safe.”
Smith said lifting the mask mandate puts those who are immunocompromised and preschoolers, who are not eligible to be vaccinated, at risk.
“Please wait a little longer,” Smith said.
On the other hand, Julie Fallon, a second-grade teacher at Deerfield Elementary, said the “virus circulating today is not like the original, more dangerous version” that spread in March 2020, adding that scientific breakthroughs like vaccines and new anti-viral pills significantly lower the risk of serious illness caused by COVID-19.
As the world adapts to the virus, Fallon said teachers’ jobs are to make up for “gaps” in students’ learning over these past two years, and removing masks could help accelerate students’ growth.
“Myself and my colleagues have the monumental task of trying to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on student learning and close these gaps,” Fallon said. “As this pandemic becomes endemic, isn’t it time to send the message that they’re safe in school?”
School Nurse Leader Meg Burch said the virus isn’t going away, but this is a chance to loosen some restrictions.
“We’re certainly approaching endemic,” Burch said. “It’s not an emergency anymore, but that doesn’t mean we can totally relax.”
Each school committee voted in favor of Modestow’s policy as presented and masks can come off on March 14. The Deerfield and Sunderland school committees entertained an amendment to require masks on preschool children and teachers, but the amendment was ultimately shot down by each committee.
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.