Cuomo: Masks Are ‘Required’ For New York Students, Teachers

When schools reopen in September students and educators will be required to have masks.

On Friday, Gov. Cuomo announced based on each region's infection rate, schools across the state are permitted to open this fall.

"Based on our infection rate, New York State is in the best possible situation right now. If anybody can open schools, we can open schools. We do masks, we do social distancing, we've kept that infection rate down, and we can bring the same level of intelligence to the school reopening that we brought to the economic reopening," Governor Cuomo said. " Our school guidance has been touted as the smartest as the country. Our economic reopening guidance was the smartest in the country. So, if anyone can do it, we can do it. But we have been successful because we've been smart and we have to continue to be smart. Parents and teachers must feel safe and secure in each school district's plan to return to school, and those plans must adhere to the Department of Health's guidance. To ensure that is the case, New York's family's must be fully informed and part of the conversation. And so, over the next several weeks, school districts must engage: Talking to parents and teachers and getting all parties on board.

The Governor also announced that school districts must post their remote learning plan online as well as their plan for testing and tracing students and teachers. Schools must also have three to five public meetings prior to August 21 with parents as well as one meeting with teachers to go through their reopening plan.

Cuomo later announced students and educators will be required to wear masks.

"In schools as elsewhere, masks are required when social distancing is impossible," Cuomo said on Twitter. "Every student should plan to have one with them at all times. If a student does not have a mask, the school will be required to provide one."