Queens parents, students and administrators offer mixed
reaction after NYC lifts mask mandate in public schools
New York City public schools students no longer have to wear masks in school as of March 7. Photo via Getty Images
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | MARCH 11 - MARCH 17, 2022 21
BY JULIA MORO
Queens residents are expressing
mixed reactions to
the city lifting the controversial
mask mandate in public
schools across the city that
started Monday, March 7.
New York City Mayor
Eric Adams announced the
news to no longer mandate
mask wearing in NYC public
schools on Sunday, Feb. 27.
Adams said that since there
has been a low level of risk
and no unforeseen spikes in
the past few weeks, he feels
there is no reason to continue
requiring masks in schools.
“Our schools have been
among the safest places for our
children since the beginning
of the pandemic, and we will
continue to make the proper
public health decisions to keep
our kids safe, including making
masks available for any
child or school staff member
who wishes to continue wearing
them,” Adams said.
This decision has resulted
in a sigh of relief for some and
outrage among others. One
parent in Middle Village who
wished to remain anonymous
said that masks should have
never been mandatory in the
first place.
“Masks don’t provide
enough benefit and only increased
the levels of anxiety
due to social conformity,” the
parent said.
Sandy Jimenez, who has a
9-year-old daughter at P.S. 199
Maurice A. Fitzgerald in Sunnyside,
said she is extremely
nervous about the safety and
health of her child.
“I support the mask mandate.
It keeps everybody
safe,” Jimenez said. “There
are so many people together
in one place at the schools
and you just don’t know the
other people and what safety
measures they are taking.”
Jimenez’s daughter, Emily,
said that she never likes
to take off her mask in public.
“Students in my class have
gotten coronavirus,” Emily
said. “I had to get tested so
many times at home. I will
still wear a mask.”
Others feel that lifting
school mask mandates is a
step toward normalcy. Governor
Kathy Hochul ended
the mask mandate statewide
on March 2, after observing
COVID-19 data trends and
consulting with health and
education experts.
“With more New Yorkers
getting vaccinated, and the
steady decline over the past
several weeks in cases and
hospitalizations from omicron,
we are now entering a
new phase of the pandemic.
Because New Yorkers have
stepped up, we can confidently
remove the statewide mask
requirement in our schools,”
Governor Hochul said. “This
is a huge step forward for our
kids and communities and I
am grateful to the students,
educators and parents for
their dedication to keeping us
all safe — we’ve reached this
milestone because of your
hard work.”
New York currently has
the highest rate of adults
fully vaccinated. In New York
City, about 86% of adults are
fully vaccinated, according
to city data. About 55% of
children ages 5 to 17 are fully
vaccinated. According to
Hochul’s office, the state has
experienced a 98% decline
in COVID-19 cases since the
omicron peak and a continuous
downtrend in cases for 51
straight days.
Jesse Pachter, an assistant
principal and athletic director
at Maspeth High School,
said he could not be more
excited to greet his students
with a visible smile Monday
morning.
“I’m choosing to not wear a
mask,” Pachter said. “I think
that walking into school and
seeing an administrator smiling
at you can start your day
on a good foot and some of
these students haven’t been
able to see that their entire
high school experience.”
Pachter said he has gotten
the sense that many of his
students and faculty are excited
to take their masks off
come Monday.
“I think they’re excited
about getting to see their
friends and their teachers,”
Pachter said. “I think being
able to recognize facial
expressions and getting to
hear teachers more clearly is
something that a lot of people
are looking forward to.”
Despite many students
and staff looking forward to
returning to some normalcy,
Pachter understands why
some would still choose to
keep their masks on and respects
everybody’s decision.
One of his students, Veronica
Witkowski, a senior
at Maspeth High School, said
that she will be keeping her
mask on due to apprehensions
and an immunocompromised
family member.
“Personally, I don’t mind
wearing it,” Witkowski said.
“I would rather look out for
the health of my family and
others. Everyone wants to get
back to normal as soon as possible
and so do I. But I would
prefer to take more steps to be
careful.”
Connie Altamirano, a
community advocate and
member of the Community
Education Council 24, said
that as someone who is immunocompromised
and has
a child with asthma, she does
not support lifting the mask
mandate.
“I support the mask mandate
to protect our community
and its most vulnerable
members,” Altamirano said.
“I know that my children will
choose to continue wearing
their masks. When my children
feel ready and comfortable
enough to stop wearing
masks they will let me know
and I will support them in
their decision. However, I
want to be clear that this is
a decision that each family
should have the right to make
for themselves.”
/QNS.COM
