Decisive Vote On Mask Mandate In Island Schools On Wednesday

The Nantucket School Committee will vote Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. on whether to extend the island's indoor mask mandate for the public school district.

Governor Charlie Baker announced last week that the state mask order for K-12 public school students and staff will be lifted on Monday, Feb. 28, as the COVID-19 surge fueled by the Omicron variant subsides. Individual school districts, however, will have the option to keep their own mask orders in place for staff and students based on local conditions.

A recent survey of 199 members of the Nantucket Teachers Association union showed 64 percent of respondents were in favor of making masks optional.