On March 10, the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees unanimously voted to extend the mask mandate indoors in SMUHSD schools until they revisit the discussion at their April 21 Board meeting.
On Feb. 23, the California Department of Public Health updated its COVID-19 public health guidance for K-12 schools, strongly recommending masks in indoor settings starting on March 12. Since then, many neighboring school districts, including Sequoia Unified High School District, Palo Alto Unified District and Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, have adopted CDPH guidelines. SMUHSD superintendent Dr. Kevin Skelly recommended the Board to follow suit.
“The District has followed the CDPH and county recommendations throughout the pandemic and we should continue to do that,” Skelly said in the Board meeting. “These are scientists. We have to believe in a government that makes decisions for our collective well-being.”
Skelly assured that the District will continue to take stringent precautionary measures to contain COVID-19 if it eases the mask mandate. For example, it will closely monitor vaccination rates, continue contact tracing, increase opportunities for the booster shot and distribute at-home COVID-19 testing kits before spring break.
“It is up to local authorities to decide what to do. That is what is imparted to us as school boards. We have to make that determination”
Additionally, Skelly voiced his concern around the complication in putting forth their own masking protocols, which was echoed by public commenter Wendy McArdle.
“[SMUHSD has] followed the CDPH guidelines all along and to drop them now would make me say ‘What do you know better than the CDC [or] CDPH?’” McArdle said in the Board meeting. “[SMUHSD] needs to be consistent.”
Trustee Greg Land disagreed.
“The governor had made it clear that it’s up to school boards to make the decision as to what would be best for that district and their students,” Land said in the Board meeting. “It is up to local authorities to decide what to do. That is what is imparted to us as school boards. We have to make that determination.”
During the Board meeting, trustee Peter Hanley presented a memorandum detailing why the SMUHSD is not ready to shift to strongly recommending masks. According to the CDC COVID-19 Tracker, San Mateo County is still in the “high” transmission category. Hanley cited that daily COVID-19 cases in the County are double than what was reported in November 2021, the interim period between the Delta and Omicron variant.
“Removing the mandate raises the risk [of] COVID-19 transmission at school,” Hanley said. “COVID-19 has killed almost a million Americans and damaged the lives of millions more who have it long-term. This is a deadly disease [and the pandemic] is not even close to over. We can’t rush ourselves out of this. We need to continue to be prudent moving forward.”
The trustees also foresaw potential negative impacts of lifting the mask mandate in particular situations. A section of the A Building at Burlingame High School lacks the full heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, so the ease of mask mandates may facilitate the spread of the virus in those classrooms. There are also immunocompromised individuals who are more vulnerable to contracting the virus. However, current CDPH guidelines do not provide exceptions, such as requiring mask-wearing, under these special circumstances.
“We have a population of people that don’t have the luxury to just unmask,” said Trustee Ligia Andrade Zúñiga in the Board meeting. “I would hope people would continue to wear the masks to protect each other [and] as a community we’re thinking of each other.”
There was worry about the alienation of those who choose to continue wearing masks.
“I think young people are probably even more sensitive to peer pressure than [adults],” said Trustee Robert H. Griffin. “I just want to make sure that if we were to put in place [strongly recommended masking], that there will be tolerance for those who … feel like they need to wear a mask.”
The Board voted 5-0 on tentatively extending the mask mandate until another review on April 21, when there will be data from nearby school districts to assess the feasibility of implementing CDPH guidelines. Although they reached a consensus, there was some divergence in opinion.
“This is a deadly disease [and the pandemic] is not even close to over. We can’t rush ourselves out of this. We need to continue to be prudent moving forward”
“I was in favor [of following CDPH guidelines],” Griffin said. “When things go a different way than you anticipate, I try to work with people. It was an important decision, so I’m fine with it and have moved on from it.”
Hanley wished to ensure that San Mateo County transitioned to a safer phase before imposing any changes to the masking policy.
“It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but it was acceptable,” Hanley said. “I would have preferred that we adopted a resolution that postponed removing the mandate until we transitioned into the low transmission category. That was my proposal, but the other Board members weren’t prepared to go that far.”
Trustee Linda Lees Dwyer had hoped to schedule an earlier time to reconvene, such as the second week of April.
“I was kind of dismayed when I learned that it will be further into the month,” Lees Dwyer said.
The public remains divided on the issue. Since the March 10 Board meeting, trustees have received a handful of emails from both supporters and those opposing the decision.
“There’s been two years of COVID-related comments [and] everything has been polarizing,” Griffin said. “This is one of those things that almost everybody has a view on because COVID-19 impacts everyone.”
In addressing the negative feedback, Hanley considered the larger picture.
“There’s thousands of people that I represent,” Hanley said. “We had eight or nine public comments [during the board meeting], so I have to take into account that that’s a very small number.”
To gain a more holistic understanding, Lees Dwyer hopes the District will administer a survey to all students, parents, staff and the Parent-Teacher Organization.
“We’re only getting input from people who decide to give us input,” Lees Dwyer said. “In order to help us make the next choice, everybody’s got to participate.”
On April 21, the SMUHSD Board of Trustees will re-evaluate the practicality of lifting mask mandates in school settings.
