Colonie Central High Lifts School Mask Mandate

By: Molly Ryan

March 1, 2022

On Sunday, Governor Kathy Hochul stated that the mask mandate will be lifted in schools and school buses on Wednesday, March 2.. Hochul stated that the Omicron variant had receded, leading to her decision.

The state also announced Sunday that there have been 2,000 less hospitalizations since the fall. The state reported 2,400 new cases each day when in January, there were about 74,000 cases a day.

Colonie Central High School has announced that mask wearing in school will be completely optional starting on Wednesday. Colonie students and staff have mixed opinions on it.

Seniors Isabelle Lewis and Alex Newcomb have decided that they will probably not be wearing their masks on Wednesday. Lewis says she thinks it is a good idea, considering it is optional. Students still have the right to wear their masks if they want to.

“I feel like there is going to be a lot of fighting about it,” said Newcomb.

Eric Boham, a history teacher at Colonie said he will not be wearing his mask and the mask mandate being lifted had to happen sooner or later. He does not want to move backwards and bring the mandate back in the future.

“I think it would have a great effect on students' learning. The younger students especially,” said Boham.

Senior Maddie Zalucky said she thinks the mandate is a good and bad idea. She is very excited to see everyone’s faces and smiles, but she feels there could be conflict with what people want to do, whether it be wearing one or not wearing one.

“I feel like the governor should’ve let us know about the mandate a few weeks in advance and not spring it on us so quickly,” said Zalucky.

Zalucky said that she believes Hochul also could have waited because we just had February break.

“Everyone was on vacation so it seems really soon to lift the mandate. I feel like we should have given it a couple more weeks for people to get over their sickness if they had one.” said Zalucky.

The Colonie School District stated in their email to families on Sunday night that the faculty and students being healthy is their top priority still. They have also thanked the custodial workers, nurses, staff, teachers, food service, principals, and bus drivers for their outstanding efforts during this time.