MARYLAND, USA — (Editor's Note: The video above is from Feb. 22 when the Maryland State Board of Education voted to drop mask mandate)
Maryland's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR) gathered via Zoom Friday to vote on whether to end the statewide mask mandate in public schools.
In a 17-1 vote, with one member absent from the meeting, the joint committee decided to end the mandate, upholding a previous recommendation from the Maryland Board of Education.
Earlier this week, the BOE voted 12-2 to approve Gov. Larry Hogan's call to end mandatory mask policies in all Maryland schools, and instead return that power to individual school districts and counties based on local metrics.
At a virtual public hearing Friday, the AELR heard from the public about whether or not to end the statewide mandate.
While in public comments, Liliana Nokatitis, a current high school senior, called in to give a student's perspective on the mandate.
"It is more than the right time to allow students to breathe, smile and see each other's faces for the first time in over two years," Nokatits said. "When I graduate with my class in June, I want to be able to walk across the stage mask-free, smiling over the accomplishments I've made over the last 13 years in education."
While some parents wanted the mask mandate gone, a handful of others called to ask the committee to keep the mandate.
Jennifer Weiner spoke to the committee as her 4-year-old daughter sat on her lap. She said her daughter wears a "little yellow mask" to go to kindergarten every day with no issues, a move she said is more than she can say for most adults.
"I know that a common argument is that my kids can still wear masks if they're still optional," Weiner said. "We all know that masks work best when everybody wears them and we all know the power of peer pressure and bullying. It's not easy to be the only child in class wearing a mask and it shouldn't be my 6-year-old's responsibility to keep her little sister safe. That's my job and your job."
The sole vote against the decision to drop the mask mandate came from Del. Sheree L. Sample-Hughes.
Sample-Hughes explained her decision saying she came into the meeting with a different mindset and referenced Weiner's comments about wanting to keep her child safe.