Report by Paula Antolini, February 11, 2022, 8:36PM EDT
Message from Dr. Christine Carver, Bethel Public Schools Superintendent, 2-11-22:
“As you are aware, last Monday, Governor Lamont and Dr. Manisha Juthani, Commissioner of Public
Health, held a press conference to announce lifting the statewide mandate on masks in schools. We
view this as another step of encouraging news as a transition from a pandemic to an endemic. The
reasons stated for the shift in policy are due to a rapid decrease in cases, high rates of vaccination in the
state of Connecticut, and effectiveness in treatments for those who are diagnosed with COVID-19.
“I hesitated to communicate the information immediately, as I was not sure of the process from the
announcement through the legislative action that needs to occur regarding the extension of the
Executive Order. Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to extend the executive order. The
Senate will take it up on Monday, February 14th. I do not believe that this will affect the eventual
outcome of a statewide lift of the mandate in schools. We also thought we were going to be receiving
additional information and or guidance from either the State Department of Education or the
Department of Health. To date, we have not received anything.
“I have engaged with our medical advisor, school district attorney, local Director of Health, and Health
Supervisor to discuss the lifting of the mandate and have reviewed local data (vaccination rates and
hospitalizations) which the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health is saying should be the
focal indicators. I will be presenting that information and my recommendations to the Board of
Education at their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 7:00 PM at Bethel Middle
School. For convenience, it will be the first item on the agenda. If you are unable to attend but would
like to have your comments included, please feel free to email the Board of Education at
boemembers@bethel.k12.ct.us. Please be aware that the email will become part of the public record
and be included in the Board Packet.
“Please note, we do not believe the mandate will be lifted for buses, as they come under federal law
under public transportation. We also do not know if there will be a shift in protocols for positive cases. Again, we will communicate any information as soon as we have it.”
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