Message from Millstone Township Superintendent Dr. Chris Huss 6/8/21
Dear Millstone Families,
Throughout the greater part of the day, I have been consulting with numerous individuals about mandatory universal mask wearing in our schools. As many of you know, Governor Murphy made an announcement yesterday which essentially made this decision the responsibility of local school officials. The issues with this guidance were a lack of communication with school districts ahead of time and the vague language which permitted mask exceptions for periods of “extreme heat” and “where wearing a mask would inhibit an individual’s health.” Neither of these terms were defined or given clear context which left each school district to interpret this language individually without any advanced notice.
At this time, I feel it is prudent to allow the mask-wearing decisions to be left up to each individual student and their parents/guardians. This is a difficult decision with no easy answer. I acknowledge that while making some happy it will likely make others feel uncomfortable. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine when one’s health is being inhibited by a mask with the current fluctuations in weather and inconsistencies with air conditioning units in some rooms.
In summary, starting tomorrow, June 9, 2021, students will be allowed to remove their masks at their discretion while in school and on school buses. Please discuss this with your child(ren) prior to the start of school tomorrow to ensure they make informed decisions in their own best interests. While making this decision with your child, please also consider that the CDC continues to strongly encourage unvaccinated individuals to continue wearing masks while participating in activities that include sustained contact with others, or when in a crowded setting.
Sincerely,
Dr. Chris Huss
#Proud2bMillstone