East Lyme schools to drop mask requirement
East Lyme — Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Newton has announced students in the district will not be required to wear masks starting Feb. 28.
He said the district will "strongly recommend continued mask wearing in our school buildings but will not require it."
Citing a state Department of Public Health recommendation that students take a rapid COVID-19 test Monday morning before shedding their masks for the first time, he said kits will be available at each school Wednesday and Thursday for pickup by parents.
The superintendent warned that students must respect everyone's choice to wear or not wear a mask. "We will have zero tolerance for any disrespectful behavior or comments towards individuals who decide to continue wearing a mask."
Masks still will be required on school buses until March 18, according to Newton. They also will be required in all nurse's offices in the district.
Earlier this month, Gov. Ned Lamont announced he would move to end the statewide school mask mandate on Feb. 28 and let individual school districts make the decision on whether masks must still be worn.
Last week, the General Assembly voted to extend Lamont's pandemic executive orders, one of which would allow the commissioners of the state departments of Education and Public Health to again implement statewide school and day care masking or social distancing rules if they see fit up until the end of the school year on June 30.
School districts in Montville, Preston, Stonington and Lyme-Old Lyme also have approved mask choice.
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