When mask mandate is lifted, schools wonder if wearing masks will be up to them

But he didn't recognize her without her mask on, and had to ask her name.

"That's kind of where we are now," he said. "I would love to see what my seniors look like before they graduate."

Stuhlmiller, the president of the Kenmore Teachers Association, said everyone is tired of wearing masks, but teachers, like parents, have differing views.

"I think the vast majority of us are willing to get to a finish line if it can be quantified and identified by the state," he said. "We're tired of this. We want to see our student's faces."

Teachers, students and parents are looking forward to the day Gov. Kathy Hochul lifts the mask mandate in schools. Some parents have sued districts and the state to end the mask mandate, citing the harm to child mental health, but others, fearing the spread of the virus, do not think it should end immediately. 

School boards around the country, including some locally, have come under fire from parents angry about the mask mandates, filing lawsuits and refusing to wear them during meetings. Orchard Park and Clarence school boards returned to virtual meetings after some audience members refused to wear masks. 

When the mandate is lifted, you'll still see masks in the classroom. And if school boards have to make a decision about masks in the classroom, it could mean more anger directed at them.

Hochul said it's a "very strong possibility" it could be March 7, one week after most students return after a week-long break.

When she lifted the mask mandate in public places Wednesday, the governor said it was the right decision to "let counties, cities, and businesses to make their own decisions on what they want to do with respect to mask or the vaccination requirement."

It is not known whether the governor will allow local control on masks in schools. Some educators think that it will be up to schools and school districts, while others want a statewide requirement.

"Our understanding right now is either a school district or a county health department could adopt a local mask requirement," said Robert N. Lowry Jr., deputy director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents.

If that's the case, school boards might have to make tough decisions that – to say the least – would not please everyone.

The Conference of Big Five School Districts, representing the state's largest city school districts, wants a uniform policy implemented across the state by the New York State Department of Health, said Executive Director Jennifer K. Pyle.

"We do not want this responsibility put upon educators or county health departments. We don’t think school boards and superintendents should have to be in a position to make these decisions because they are not the health experts," she said.

Pyle said the state Health Department should establish metrics so determinations on lifting the mandate can be made on a regional basis.

"Clearly, if the metrics are different, different regions may be on a different timetable, something the state Health Department would have to determine," Pyle said.

There could be differences within the same county in a region, too. Buffalo Public Schools does not intend to automatically drop the masks when the mandate is lifted without the approval of its medical team, Superintendent Kriner Cash said.

Cash said he would like to see Covid-19 cases get to a moderate transmission rate from the high rate it is today.

"We’re headed there, but we're not there," Cash said.

When would that be?

"I’m hopeful that mid-March or shortly thereafter we could be in a place where medical experts say it's safe to unmask," Cash said.

But many schools are prepared to switch as soon as Hochul gives the word.

"We will immediately move to a procedure that says we strongly encourage you to wear a mask, but you do not have to," Niagara Falls Superintendent Mark Laurrie said. 

He said students and staff will be told they are welcome to wear face coverings without shame. He did not rule out a future requirement for masks. 

"I think if we had a crazy uptick in cases in a particular location, we would certainly have to consider that," Laurrie said, adding, "I don't have that metric in my mind."

Laurrie said sentiment from parents he has heard from is about nine to one in favor of lifting the mandate. Teachers have concerns on both sides of the mask debate, he said.

Buffalo Teachers Federation President Philip Rumore said the the union asked teachers last week if they support ending the mask requirement immediately or if they support requiring masks until the impact of Covid-19 transmission after the week-long recess could be determined. 

He said the union would inform the district of the results of the survey.

Ken-Ton's Stuhlmiller said if there is no state or county mandate requiring masks in schools, districts might have a difficult time implementing the requirement without bargaining with unions over the change in working conditions. 

Private and charter schools also are looking for more guidance while trying to plan for the end of masks.

The Charter School for Applied Technologies is working on the assumption that once the mandate is lifted, the decision on face coverings would be up to the schools.

"At that point, our board would have to vote," spokeswoman Lori Allan said. 

Allan said the board will consider feedback from staff and parents.

Dr. Timothy Uhl, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Buffalo Diocese, said some Catholic schools are smaller, with students sitting closer together, while others are larger with more room.

"There could be schools you might have to mask when walking around," he said. "It isn't a one size fits all."