Parents display outrage at Cedar Grove Board of Education meeting over mask mandate – News 12 New Jersey

Dozens of parents in an Essex County school district signed up to express their concern and outrage over the district’s indoor mask policy.

Parents in the Cedar Grove School District say that the superintendent should end the mask mandate and allow children to go mask-free while inside of school, especially as the weather gets warmer.

They say that there is no air conditioning inside of the schools and say that there is a greater health risk from wearing masks in the extreme heat than there is going maskless in the pandemic.

“Extreme heat continues into the fall. We have a few weeks at the beginning of September…where we will face the same problem. And if our district isn’t’ willing to listen to us know, what will chance come September?” asks Patricia Montana, of the Cedar Grove Parent Coalition.

Cedar Grove School Superintendent Anthony Grosso spoke about some of those concerns at the meeting Tuesday night. He said that the guidance from Trenton is confusing and said that he is making the best decision for his students and staff.

The Murphy administration has kept the mask mandate in place for schools. But says that masks can be removed on days when there is “extreme heat,” but did not specify exactly what this means.

Parents also voiced their concern about another issue at the school – a survey given out to students asking children of all ages personal information such as their race and gender identity.

The parents say that they are concerned that it was given out without parental consent.

Grosso says that the survey is part of the Equity and Diversity Advisory Council (EDAC), a group that was formed last year. He said that EDAC is meant to help all students feel safer in their school.

The parents claim that they know very little about the council.