Washington D.C., Feb 16, 2022 / 17:44 pm
Following an outcry from parents, the Archdiocese of Washington has reportedly decided to permit its schools in Maryland to go mask-optional.
The change in policy was first reported by Timothy Carney of the Washington Examiner. Carney has several children enrolled at schools in the Archdiocese of Washington.
According to Carney, the change was announced on a telephone call the morning of Feb. 16, and will go into effect on Feb. 21. That day, an indoor mask mandate in Maryland’s largest county is set to expire.
The archdiocese’s updated mask-optional policy only applies to children enrolled in its schools located in Maryland. Children who attend Catholic schools in Washington, D.C., will still have to wear masks, as the District of Columbia still has a mandatory indoor masking order.