Passaic Schools bringing back mask mandate for students and staff. Here's why

The city of Passaic Schools reinstituted a mask mandate for all of its estimated 14,500 students and staff members.

A Tuesday letter to district parents and guardians from Superintendent of Schools Sandra Diodonet informed them that the mandate went into effect Wednesday and will last as long the state's COVID activity level report remains high for the Passaic County.

The New Jersey Department of Health COVID activity report reaches the high level when there are more than 20 hospital admissions for COVID for every 100,000 people per week.

"When Passaic County is in the moderate or below range. the mask mandate will be lifted," Diodonet wrote.

School Board President Daniel Rodriguez said the mandate is part of the mask policy instituted last year when the district was contemplating the removal of mask mandates.

"We wanted to set an objective standard for when mask mandates would be required," Rodriguez said.

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He said the timing is not too bad, just a few days before the holiday break. He added this is not first instance that mask mandates were reinstated. Late last spring the district required students to wear masks as well, he said.

Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Passaic Board of Education President Daniel Rodriguez.