ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Anne Arundel County Schools Superintendent George Arlotto will recommend that mask mandates be lifted at Wednesday night's Board of Education meeting.
Arlotto's support for removing masks in schools comes after the Maryland Department of Health reported that more than 80 percent of eligible Anne Arundel County residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Maryland State Board of Education providedthree pathways through which a local school system can lift the mandate. One of those is through a vote of the Board of Education after 80 percent of county’s eligible residents are vaccinated.
“Our case rate in Anne Arundel County has been below 20 for the last week and below 15 for the last five days,” Dr. Arlotto said. “I believe the appropriate move at this time is to make masks optional for all of our students and employees.”
Should the Board vote to lift the mandate, those riding on schools buses would still be required to be masked per federal regulations and those at schools on Fort George G. Meade would need to continue to follow the regulations of the post.
RELATED: Gov. Hogan calls on Maryland Board of Education to lift school mask mandates
Last week Governor Larry Hogan called for the State Board of Education to end mask mandates at schools statewide.
Carroll County's Board of Education has also voted to lift masking in schools, but that has yet to go into effect.
