TRENTON, August 6, 2021 —The New Jersey School Boards Association today applauded the governor’s announcement that students and staff will be required to wear masks indoors when they return to in-person instruction at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year.
“This guidance is in line with the recommendations of the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics,” said Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod, NJSBA executive director. “Against the backdrop of the rapid spread of the Delta variant, masks will play an important role in making possible what should be our top priority: safely returning children and staff to the classroom.”
Gov. Murphy’s announcement follows the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which announced on July 27 that given new evidence on the spread of the Delta variant, it was recommending universal masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.
On July 19, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the nation’s leading association of pediatricians, released guidance recommending that everyone over the age of 2 wear masks, even if vaccinated, unless medical or developmental conditions prohibit use. “Schools must continue to take a multi-pronged, layered approach to protect students, teachers, and staff (i.e., vaccination, universal mask use, ventilation, testing, quarantining, and cleaning and disinfecting),” notes the AAP guidance. “Combining these layers of protection will make in-person learning safe and possible.”
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The New Jersey School Boards Association is a federation of the state’s local boards of education and includes the majority of New Jersey’s charter schools as associate members. NJSBA provides training, advocacy and support to advance public education and promote the achievement of all students through effective governance.