ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland State Board of Education voted Thursday for an emergency regulation to require children and adults to wear masks in schools statewide to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Most of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions already have mandated masks in schools, five counties have not, including Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Somerset and Worcester counties.
The mandate still will need approval by the Maryland General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review.
On Wednesday, a bipartisan coalition of 32 Maryland senators sent a letter to the board’s leadership, urging them to approve emergency masking in schools.
“Continuous in-person instruction this school year is critical, and we must protect students’ ability to learn with other children in school buildings statewide throughout the year,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson.
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