The MCPS Board of Education unanimously voted to lift its indoor mask mandate for all faculty members, students and visitors on Mar. 8, 2022. The decision comes after the Maryland Board of Education voted to lift the mask mandate for schools in Maryland, but left individual counties’ mandates up to their respective boards.
“The Board of Education of Montgomery County Public schools, our buildings, facilities, and all of MCPS transportation, effective immediately and that wearing masks in MCPS buildings and facilities, and MCPS transportation will become optional unless required in accordance with quarantine and isolation guidelines,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Monifa B. McKnight said during the meeting.
Montgomery County will continue to monitor COVID-19 data and reinstate the mandate for MCPS facilities and transportation if necessary. The county will also continue to collaborate with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and address health and safety concerns raised by various communities.
During the meeting, many parents, community members and students delivered conflicting testimonies that argued for and against the mask mandate. There were many passionate discussions, sometimes leading to disruptions throughout the meeting.
Students are expected to respect their peers’ decisions about mask-wearing. Since the mask mandate is a sensitive topic for many, Dr. McKnight announced the launch of a countywide campaign to promote respect for people’s decisions. The campaign’s slogan is “On or Off, It’s Just Me—Be Kind and Respect My Mask Choice.”
Seneca Valley High School sophomore Julia Tisaranni believes that the mask mandate should not have been lifted. “There are so many immunocompromised people that attend public school, including teachers. Keeping the mask mandate until at least the end of the school year would be the best way to ensure that cases go down and stay down,” she said.
Tisaranni expressed that she feels significantly less safe attending school in a mask-optional environment, a feeling many other students share. “As someone that struggles with major anxiety issues, which is not uncommon in students, the idea of being in overcrowded hallways and classrooms with no one wearing a mask is a huge trigger for my anxiety,” she said.
Tisaranni said that there would not be many changes academically. However, she believes there will be more social tension as people have different thoughts about the mask mandate.
On the other hand, Seneca Valley freshman Makayla Nguyen said, “I don’t personally think there should and shouldn’t be a mask mandate. I’m generally okay with the optional version that we have right now. I think in a way it creates a responsibility for people now that they have a choice, especially for students.”
Nguyen was not as sure as Tisaranni about the potential academic and social effects. “I don’t really know how it would affect school socially and academically. There will be negatives and positives like students getting to know each other better, hearing the teacher better, and negatives like a possible increase in bullying.”
Watkins Mill High School sophomore John Rizarri echoes Nguyen’s thoughts. “I don’t think it’s getting too serious now people have their boosters, and I feel like they should be able to have the option to take it off or not,” Rizarri said. Does he feel that he will be judged for not wearing his mask? “No, probably teases by friends at most but not by anyone else,” he said.
As the county enters a new stage in the pandemic, student opinions on safety are becoming mixed. It will continue nonetheless to be a priority for MCPS.
Written by Elise Lou of Seneca Valley High School
“Protective medical mask on laptop. The end of the pandemic.” by shixart1985 is marked with CC BY 2.0.