I can’t believe we are here again….with the CDC and AAP recommending mask for all students and staff in k-12, how will this impact BS? Will schools that are requiring the vaccine be able to avoid a state / school district mandate? Kiddo1’s school has a Covid webinar next week (planned many weeks ago) and I’m really hoping that having a fully vaccinated community still eliminates the need for masks.
At Hill, vaccines are required unless you have a medical/religious reason. We were told as of end of June/beginning of July, that there will be no masks for vaccinated or unvaccinated students. We were told unvaccinated students may have to wear masks under certain circumstances, but that they wouldn’t be necessary most of the time. I don’t know about other schools
That’s what we were told as well, but it always came with a “things could change” disclaimer. I really hope vaccinated school communities can go back to normal this year.
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My guess is that masks will likely be required. CDC is changing the guidelines and states will follow
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Given that some states have passed legislation that ban the imposition of masking requirements in public schools (where vaccine coverage is far more spotty given the lack of mandates), I don’t see it as impossible that boarding schools just ignore these recommendations, given that they are just that—recommendations. The latest guidance from the CDC says as follows:
- To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
Upon looking through the linked map, it does not appear that any major boarding school is within a county deemed “substantial” or “high,” which is encouraging. Given that some schools (like Choate) changed their policies (making some day students go virtual, for example) throughout the past school year depending on the prevalence of Covid within the community, we could see adjustments of mask rules in a similar way.
Boarding schools know far more about their own student bodies than the CDC does, and have already had significant experience dealing with schooling during Covid during the past year. I don’t see why they wouldn’t just make their own decisions.
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If the CDC guidance is saying that vaccinated and unvaccinated people should wear masks indoors in areas of high transmission and low vaccination, then it should be reasonable to expect that areas with high vaccination and low transmission should not have to follow the guidance.
Many boarding schools have mandated vaccines for fall (with medical and religious exemptions) and I would think that most schools have mitigation measures for those who will not be vaccinated. I know both of my kids’ schools have required vaccines, and will require masks, quarantine and Covid tests for anyone not vaccinated. If vaccination rates are high within a private school setting, then the science should show that transmission rates are low. Why would they require both vaccines and masks?
I think parental backlash would be swift if private schools suddenly decide to mandate both masks and vaccines. I would complain loudly to every administrator if that would happen at either of my kids schools. I’m sure I’d have a lot of company! What is the incentive to get vaccinated if everyone still has to wear masks? Why would we pay thousands of dollars to keep our vaccinated children in masks?
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Exeter has asked all people to wear masks indoors during registration and move in days
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My kids’ school (small private day) has already told us that masks are likely even for vaccinated students this fall.
I’m waiting, and dreading, for big kiddos new BS to announce that no parents will be allowed to assist on move in day!
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The priority will be to make sure kids can stay in person. I would hope that the masking decision would support that goal.
There is a contentious battle going on at a public school near us. Clearly a different situation as students return home, perhaps to unvaccinated family.
I no longer have a BS kid but if I did, I would suffer masking in exchange for a full year of in person school. Doing any part of another year remotely seems impossibly unbearable! But each school needs to look at its own particular situation.
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Because you can be vaccinated and still get the Delta variant. You may be asymptomatic, or symptomatic. You may be a carrier, spreading it to others who are not vaccinated.
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Yes, @UltimaCroix , I am aware of these things. In fact, our entire family is fully vaccinated - we are not vaccine-hesitant. Many people are not vaccinated- so where is the incentive for them to get vaccinated in these new guidelines? The CDC wants everyone to go back to wearing masks because so many are unvaccinated.
Thankfully the PA governor said today that he will not institute a mask mandate in PA, not even in K-12 schools. This was refreshing to hear from him given that he was a lock down tyrant for the past year. But he said the protection comes from the vaccine, and people should get vaccinated to protect themselves. Masks mandates were used when no vaccine was available.
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This is how I feel as well. If a school has mandated the vaccine, there should be no reason for vaccinated school members to wear masks on campus, as the chance of breakthrough cases is very low. I am watching closely as states begin making announcements. RI has said they will leave it up to the school districts, but they are strongly encouraging k12 mask mandates. Meanwhile the Florida governor is fighting against school mask mandates. I am worried about NJ as they took a very strict approach last year and kiddo’s school was either required to follow their lead, or chose to follow their lead. Hopefully they will instead be influenced by PA, especially since they are currently at 69.9% vaccinated (surely they will hit 70% before school returns). We were really hoping for a close to normal year.
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If they have enough IQ points, or listen to the medical guidance, they may eventually realize it may prevent them from dying, even if they contract COVID/COVID-Delta.
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Boarding schools will likely require masks in the classrooms this fall. Why? Because they are extremely risk adverse. If there’s a 1% chance of something happening, they will seek to mitigate the 1% chance. It is in their nature.
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If this was true, then none of the schools discussed on this board would have opened for any kind of in person instruction during the 2020-2021 school year. Boarding schools have parents who pay tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars for their children to attend.
My last comment, as we are supposed to avoid debating on CC: I said they would seek to mitigate, not eliminate, low probability risks.
And the “parents pay $$$” is a tired argument.
True - but it makes me feel good to hear it…so validating 
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Taft is requiring negative PCR tests for students to return (in addition to proof of vaccine). I suspect all boarding schools will follow suit.
Mask mandates are back in many places!!
Do you think our students will be wearing masks in class and during sports again?
I am worried about masks in classrooms / dorms. With 95+% of a school community vaccinated (I am just guessing the number of students with a religious / medical exemption is less than 5%), BSs shouldn’t fall under the CDCs newest guidelines. But bcs kiddo’s school was so conservative in their rules last year, I fear they’ll have everyone back in masks again, and also worry about things like mixing with other schools (athletics), eating indoors, and permission to go off campus. I really hope the mandatory vaccines will save us here. Also worried that kiddo2 won’t be able to tour schools in the fall. Still can’t believe we are at this point again.
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