Mask Breaks? Not Happening In NJ Schools, Governor Murphy Says

Russ Crespolini
Updated ·3 min read

NEW JERSEY - On the day that the majority of districts were submitting their back to school plans for approval, Governor Phil Murphy threw a monkey wrench into the works by announcing new guidelines that would prohibit things like mask breaks.

"Face coverings will be required for all students at all times while inside a school building, regardless of social distancing, unless doing so would inhibit the individual’s health," Murphy said at his Monday COVID-19 briefing.

Promising "more color" in documents to be released by the Department of Education, Murphy said that the new guidance for not only residents but for districts themselves as they adjust their plans for the fall.

Murphy made the announcement the same day he reduced indoor gatherings to 25 people, down from 100, citing an increased rate of transmission in New Jersey. As for what would happen if the rates didn't come down, Murphy said at that point it would be a matter of enforcement, not policy.

Murphy said at the briefing that this new mandate would not allow for masks to be taken off indoors, acknowledging that students will not be able to snack or eat lunch under those conditions.

Exceptions to the masking order would include:

  • Doing so would inhibit the student’s health.

  • The student is in extreme heat outdoors.

  • The student is in water.

  • A student’s documented medical condition, or disability as reflected in an Individualized Education

  • Program (IEP), precludes the use of face covering.

  • The student is under the age of two (2), due to the risk of suffocation.

  • During the period that a student is eating or drinking.

  • Face coverings should not be placed on anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, or anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance (e.g. face coverings should not be worn by Pre-K students during nap time).

  • The student is engaged in high intensity aerobic or anaerobic activities.

  • Face coverings may be removed during gym and music classes when individuals are in a well-ventilated location and able to maintain a physical distance of six feet apart.

  • When wearing a face covering creates an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task.

This masking mandate would also extend to school buses.

Murphy did say that the decision was based on the "strong recommendations" on face coverings made by the Department of Health five weeks ago.

"Not only is the science surrounding face coverings more clear, in terms of the prophylactic value that it has, but our numbers have deteriorated," Murphy said. "And a school is not immune to the environment around it."

Murphy said that the Department of Education would be sharing a checklist to ensure district plans meet guidelines on the department's website.

"The Department of Education is also finalizing a frequently asked questions or FAQ document which outlines answers to some of the thornier questions that schools have been asking about their reopening plans," he said.

Murphy said the goal is for district leaders and their reopening committees to understand the expectations that are being placed upon them.

Thanks for reading! Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Have a news tip you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.


This article originally appeared on the Long Valley Patch