Pleasantville School District Revises Mask Policy

This article has been revised to clarify and correct information regarding the mitigation strategies being employed by the Pleasantville School District to protect students and staff.

The Pleasantville School District enacted a revised health and safety policy last week that will allow a transition period to a mask-optional school environment.

Based on an existing policy that was established to provide guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the changes relax certain rules.

Wearing masks outside but on school grounds was removed as were the references to mask breaks being required by law, which they no longer are.

Also, indoor mask breaks no longer require students or faculty to be six feet apart and barriers are no longer used.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tina DeSa said the district will continue to practice a multi-layered mitigation strategy that will require a daily health screening; enhanced ventilation; enhanced cleaning and disinfecting; weekly surveillance testing; contact tracing and quarantining protocols; and universal masking for all students and staff regardless of vaccination status while indoors, on a bus or in the locker rooms.

At last week’s Pleasantville Board of Education meeting, DeSa explained the policy change.

“Right now, we are not required to contact trace,” she said. “Not being required to contract trace in a world where it is mask-optional does not well inform our community about what’s going on in terms of exposure.”

The revised policy, which still requires students and faculty to wear masks indoors in compliance with the state mandate, is seen by the district as a stop-gap measure until whenever the state decides that masking in schools is optional.

“This would allow time for people to understand and think through what this (optional mask policy) means,” DeSa said. “They will be able to understand their kids’ exposure and their own personal exposure in the workplace. What they will know and what they will not know will inform their decision. The time for preparation is definitely needed for thinking through that.”

Parents commented on the proposed revision during the Feb. 1 special policy meeting and at last Tuesday’s regular board meeting. Many were critical that the district was carving out its own policy that didn’t reflect parents’ concerns.

On Feb. 1, 26 people commented publicly, including a handful of students. Many pointed out negative impacts on students and how masks strain a healthy learning environment, especially for younger students who have been wearing masks five hours a day, which makes learning to read and socializing difficult.

Other districts have also felt parental pressure to unmask students. At a virtual forum featuring local legislators hosted jointly by the Mount Pleasant and Valhalla school districts last Thursday evening, Mount Pleasant Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter Giarrizzo said parents and educators have been struggling with myriad pandemic-related issues for the last two years. Wherever one stands on masking or any other matter, policymakers must return local control to the communities, he said.

“I will advocate for off ramps to masking. I will advocate for local control and in good decision-making,” Giarrizzo said. “That’s where we are as a community, that’s where, I think, our community deserves us to be and I think what you are seeing tonight is some frustration about what has occurred in the past couple of weeks in getting some clarity around how do we get to an off ramp for this.”

Valhalla Superintendent Kevin McLeod said his district would comply with the current state guidelines requiring masks to be worn in all school buildings.

“Until a change in mask-wearing guidance is confirmed at the state level, the Valhalla Union Free School District will continue to adhere to the laws and regulations pertaining to public schools,” McLeod said.

If the mask mandate is lifted, then the district will adopt a mask-optional policy.

“This will mean that masks will be encouraged but not mandatory while indoors,” he said. “Our school district is built on respect and we will always respect our community members’ personal choices.”

Last week Gov. Kathy Hochul left the school mask mandate in place until it can be reassessed after the Presidents’ Week break. Many parents have been frustrated, particularly since a Jan. 25 ruling by state Supreme Court Justice Thomas Rademaker in Nassau County declaring the mask mandate was unconstitutional and enacted without approval by the state legislature.

The next day Attorney General Letitia James filed a motion to stay the ruling, which was granted.

Pleasantville Board of Education President Shane McGaffey said everyone wants students to be unmasked as soon as possible.

“The health and safety of students is first and foremost but we don’t really know what’s going to happen between the court case and possible new regulations,” McGaffey said. “When the governor lays out a plan with good metrics that are understandable and that we all can use, this policy will give us time to prepare while protecting our students from a sudden change.”