California will end its statewide face mask requirement in K-12 schools at the stroke of midnight March 12, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Monday, leaving the contentious question of whether to mandate face coverings in class to local districts and health officials.
Newsom’s office said the state is revising its mask requirements with Oregon and Washington, and will “move from mask requirements to mask recommendations in schools” in light of “declining case rates and hospitalizations across the West.” The change becomes effective “after 11:59 p.m. on March 11.”
“California continues to adjust our policies based on the latest data and science, applying what we’ve learned over the past two years to guide our response to the pandemic,” Newsom said in a statement. “Masks are an effective tool to minimize spread of the virus and future variants, especially when transmission rates are high. We cannot predict the future of the virus, but we are better prepared for it and will continue to take measures rooted in science to keep California moving forward.”
Monday’s announcement drew a cautious blessing from California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd, a kindergarten teacher, whose union has urged caution in lifting the mask requirement. Boyd said in a statement that “we share the optimism” of Newsom and state health officials “that declining COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations allow us to see light at the end of the pandemic tunnel.” But he also said “reaction to today’s announcement will be mixed.”
“Simply put, while some students are ready to immediately remove their masks, others remain very afraid,” Boyd said. “We urge local school districts to continue to work with educators and families and to act cautiously while prioritizing the safety of students, educators, and their families.”
Newsom’s office said California also starting March 1 will no longer require masks for unvaccinated people, but they will be “strongly recommended for all individuals in most indoor settings.”
Newsom’s office noted that state policies do not change federal requirements, which still include masks on public transit. California still will require masks for everyone in high transmission settings like public transit, emergency shelters, health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and long-term care facilities. And local health jurisdictions may have additional requirements beyond the state guidance.
