Statement from CSBA President Dr. Susan Heredia on the Newsom Administration’s decision to lift the universal mask mandate
“We’re pleased that Governor Newsom has heeded CSBA’s call for a data-informed, K-12-specific exit strategy for emergency COVID-19 measures in California schools. The Feb. 25 executive orders and today’s announcement provide needed clarity for schools from both an operational and a community engagement standpoint as they make plans for staffing, budgeting, and health and safety procedures. Governing boards require this information for critical decisions on emergency substitute credentials, student teachers, long-term substitute assignments, financial incentives for retiree teachers and school masking,” said Dr. Susan Heredia, President of the California School Boards Association.
“Education leaders can now use both statewide data as well as constituent input and the facts on the ground in their specific communities, including any local public health orders, to craft sensible COVID-19 mitigation frameworks for local schools. Our state has experienced significant declines in case rates, test positivity, hospitalizations and other key indicators over the past month, factors that led to the revocation of mask mandates in almost all indoor public places, except for schools and other settings like skilled nursing facilities. Aligning school regulations with current trendlines in the data and with overall public policy will help refocus attention from adult conflicts toward what is required to create a productive learning environment for California students as we transition to this latest phase of the fight against COVID-19.”