Board of Education Gives Nod to Allow Optional Masking for February 28th

In a special meeting of the Westport Board of Education tonight, Board Chair Lee Goldstein described the Board’s overall support in the superintendent and his allowing Westport students to choose to unmask beginning February 28th. The Board also described policy that allows the Superintendent to make decisions “to develop health and safety protocols related to COVID-19 (the “Safety Protocols”) consistent with applicable laws, rules, regulations, and requirements, and to consider current guidance in the development of the Safety Protocols.”

Superintendent Tom Scarice gave a brief explanation as to why he decided to recommend the switch while giving a brief health and wellness update with Supervisor of Health Services Suzanne Levasseur. Scarice described a lack of masking outside of the school day, high student vaccination rates, and a continued downward trend in cases after the omnicron variant swept through Westport as some of his reasons that guided his decision to allow the optional policy. Scarice’s recommendation came after Governor Ned Lamont announced on February 7th the ending of the State masking mandate at the end of the month, with multiple districts in the surrounding area subsequently announcing their plans to transition to the mask optional policy as soon as they’re able to.

Tonight’s meeting was not a vote, but a discussion amongst educational leaders and members of the public. Explicit support in the Superintendent’s plan was given by Board of Education members and several parents who spoke at the podium while other parents described concern with unmasking directly after the district’s winter break. Scarice announced that parents would be contacted at the end of this week with updates after tonight’s meeting, with Chair Goldstein giving the overall nod - saying that she expects them to be moving forward with the plan to allow optional masking on February 28th.

The Board of Education’s policy committee will be meeting tomorrow, February 17th at 11:00 AM to discuss the masking and COVID-19 policies in addition to “Equity in Girls and Boys Sports, Student and Family Data Privacy, and "Board/Schools Interaction with Town-Appointed Committees and Community Groups.” Click here for the agenda.

The next full Board of Education meeting will be on Monday, February 28th.