By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

The mask mandate has been lifted for Milford Public Schools and wearing masks is now optional.

But what about the buses? 

As of February 28, masks are now optional on school buses, which aligns with schools also being mask optional. Masks on buses are now optional but other mitigating strategies that were in effect previously are still in place. 

While the decision to make masks optional in school was determined by the Health Department and the city of Milford, the bus company’s decision was its own.

“The bus company is responsible for enforcing its own safety policies,” Law principal Mr. Darcy. “The federal government changed policy to make mask-wearing optional at the local level on buses. We will continue to follow all other safety strategies in school including spacing and good hygiene just to name a few.”

The requirements and rules on the bus are made by the private bus companies and the students and drivers must follow. 

“They align their practices like any other private company,” Darcy said. ”I couldn’t speak to their expectations for their drivers related to mask-wearing, vaccinations or any other strategy that has been shown to work.”

Students were excited to see buses move to mask optional.

“It is nice to get to see people’s faces I haven’t seen in a while,” sophomore Brian Goglia said.

Darcy said the move to mask optional in school has been a positive one.

“It has been positive so far,” Darcy said. “We have a lot of staff, students and families who feel apprehensive or are just used to wearing masks at this point. We have to all respect each other whether we are wearing masks or not. My hope is this is the first step to getting back to normal.”