State Board of Schooling approves “off-ramp” masking regulation
The Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday approved a new emergency ordinance that would allow schools to lift masking requirements based on local COVID-19 metrics.
To enter into force, the regulation would have to be approved by the State’s Joint Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review Committee (AELR). It would repeal and replace a nationwide masking mandate that has been in place since the beginning of the year and should expire on February 25.
Masking will continue to be mandatory after that date under the new regulation, which is slated to expire in June 2023. However, a school may discontinue masking if the vaccination rate is at least 80% either among its eligible students and staff or within the school’s county is located in.
A school that doesn’t have these rates could still stop masking if their county has 14 consecutive days of moderate or low transmission, based on CDC data.
The board’s decision followed a special meeting last week at which members tasked the Department of Education with devising an “off-ramp” approach to masking.
State Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury said his ruling was safer than immediately stopping the masking completely, which he warned has led to more outbreaks and school closings in other states.
“That will be felt for decades, the damage that has been done in learning,” said Choudhury. “Schools have to stay open. Face-to-face teaching must remain open. “
Choudhury added that off-ramp masking was already successful in Massachusetts and that case numbers in eligible schools have not risen again.
“You see people who are healthy and are learning,” he said. “The students are thrilled to be doing this responsibly. And there are still some children who wear the mask. “
While Massachusetts schools require unvaccinated students to wear masks, Maryland ordinance does not include such a requirement.
The new regulation also provides for exemptions from indoor masking, regardless of a school’s COVID-19 metrics. The exempted include students “whose disability prevents them from wearing face-covering”. People are also allowed to remove their masks when communicating with a hearing impaired person. Several parents told the board in November that masking was difficult, especially for children with special needs.
Choudhury said schools could also opt for their own “driveways” to return to masking. The new regulation does not provide for statewide metrics for return to masking.
