Starting Wednesday, New York schools no longer require masks per Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision early this week. Local school district Fayetteville-Manlius decided to wait and make the option to go maskless begin on Thursday.
Transcript
ANCHOR: Come Thursday, Fayetteville-Manlius students will have the option to go maskless in schools for the first time in two years. NCC News Reporter Annie Klaff explores how local schools are taking this in.
ANNIE KLAFF: F-M School District Counselor Tracy Cicci thinks that having the mask option is a step in the right direction.
CICCI: It’s personal choice, it’s family choice, but students will still be socially distant, so they’ll still be three feet apart for lunch and all of their typical activities.
KLAFF: Districts are being careful to treat all students the same, regardless of their mask decision. Cicci is prepared and hopeful for this new school life.
CICCI: I’m excited to see what will happen on Thursday. I know that there’s going to be issues, but I’m just excited to just see what it will be like. It’s just a closer step to normal. A sense of relief I think for some.
KLAFF: Annie Klaff, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Students in New York will see a whole new life at school starting tomorrow. Governor Kathy Hochul announced earlier this week that schools no longer need to require masks. For local school district Fayetteville-Manlius, this change is in effect starting one day later on Thursday.
Like many schools, Fayetteville-Manlius schools are offering students to have the choice of whether or not to remain masked throughout the school day. However, according to F.M. School District Counselor Tracy Cicci, social distancing of three feet will still be intact for lunch and other specific activities.
School districts recognize that there are some who have been waiting for this day to come when masks aren’t required, but that there are also those who will continue to wear them regardless.
Ultimately, it’s still up to the student and the student’s family to make the decision. If a student has compromised family members at home, they are still welcome to continue mask-wearing.
Despite the sense of more freedom coming through school doors soon, there could also be room for potential issues and discriminatory acts amongst those who might or might not wear masks. School districts are prepared to handle these kinds of situations and not show any preferences among the students as well.
“We want to make sure kids aren’t going to feel discriminated against if they choose to wear masks,” Cicci said.
Issues might arise with the new change, but counselor Cicci is still optimistic for a sense of normalcy, especially seeing both sides of her profession and a parent.
“As far as the counselor in me, I think it’s a great option for our students. They haven’t seen their teachers faces and some of them haven’t even seen their friends faces,” she said. “As a parent, I think it’s awesome. I’m thrilled that my kids don’t have to wear masks. If they want to they can, absolutely I’ll support it.”
So while a new leaf might be turning soon, it could come with some time to get used to in local New York schools.