Masking in LI schools: What happens next
Thousands of Long Island students went back to class with masks, as a court battle ensues over whether the mask mandate should continue. The next step in the court fight comes Friday.
Earlier this week, a State Supreme Court judge in Nassau County ruled that Gov. Kathy Hochul’s statewide mandate ordering students and staff in schools to wear masks indoors is unconstitutional and can no longer be enforced. Hochul said that evening the state would appeal the decision “immediately.”
By Tuesday afternoon, the mandate went back into effect after an appellate division judge suspended the Nassau judge’s decision. That meant the many Long Island school districts that declared masks optional had to go back to requiring them again on Wednesday, causing confusion at some LI school districts.
During a Newsday Live virtual conversation on this topic Wednesday, several policy and health experts said confusion has resulted from the court battle.
By 10 a.m. on Friday, lawyers for the state and opponents must submit written arguments to the state Appellate Division. A four-judge panel will review written arguments and issue a decision, but probably not Friday.
Lucian Chalfen, spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration, said judges will issue a ruling “in an expedited time frame, possibly as early as next week.”
Meanwhile, medical experts have reiterated the importance of wearing masks to minimize transmission of COVID-19, calling them “extremely important.”
The number of new positives reported today: 1,051 in Nassau, 1,171 in Suffolk, 6,392 in New York City and 17,305 statewide.
Search a map of new cases, and view more charts showing the latest local trends in vaccinations, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
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Erin Serpico is an assistant web producer who joined Newsday in November 2018. Originally from New Jersey, she now covers community events and produces local content for newsday.com while also helping run the homepage.
