News: The fallout from Baker’s mask move

Thursday, February 10, 2022

The fallout from Baker’s mask move

Feb 10, 2022

FACE OFF — Gov. Charlie Baker's decision to let the state's school mask mandate expire on Feb. 28 drew swift rebukes from teachers unions and a handful of Democratic lawmakers, and mixed reactions from parents and medical experts.

Those opposed to Baker's move pointed to lagging statewide vaccination rates among children ages 5 to 11 compared to other age groups, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that still recommends kids mask up in schools. Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy said state officials are "throwing caution to the wind" by lifting the requirement right as students return from school vacation week.

But some medical experts argued that with Covid-19 cases and wastewater data trending down, it's OK to offer a masking reprieve. The Archdiocese of Boston quickly said it would eliminate mask mandates in its schools after February break; 42 schools already had approval from the state to end masking ahead of Baker's announcement.

Baker's decision comes as blue-state governors across the country relax their mask rules. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is targeting the same date as Baker to ease his school mask mandate; the governors of Rhode Island, New Jersey and Delaware intend to follow suit in March.

School districts here are now grappling with whether students and faculty should mask up or down. As they deliberate , Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, warned that school board meetings could grow contentious.

"The parents who have always supported masking, which is the vast majority, may not be comfortable unmasking all the kids. The anti-maskers, who are a small but extremely vocal faction, will want the masks taken off immediately," Koocher told Playbook. "When it kicks back to the local level, it can be kicking local school board members in the behind from the perpetually disgruntled."

GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The candidates running to replace Baker are also split over the governor's latest mask move.

Republicans Chris Doughty and former state Rep. Geoff Diehl cheered the pending expiration as a win for parents.

Democrat Sonia Chang-Díaz decried it as "premature." The state senator's campaign said she would decide whether to let students and staff go maskless on a county-by-county basis, because the CDC tracks transmission by county.

Playbook asked if that meant schools in Lowell would be held to the same standard as Somerville and Ashland, all of which are in Middlesex County; or if schools in Lawrence and Rockport, both in Essex County, would be treated the same. Chang-Díaz's campaign replied that she wouldn't rule out using other geographic boundaries in the future, but would start at the county level.

Harvard professor Danielle Allen again cited March 7 as her preferred date, to allow time to monitor the effects of February break. State Attorney General Maura Healey's campaign declined comment.

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito visits Chicopee Academy at 12:30 p.m. and makes a grant announcement in Springfield at 2 p.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu makes a budget announcement with city councilors at 11 a.m. at City Hall.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com . Also, we're aware that some links may be missing from Playbook when we publish. Our engineers are still working on it.

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ON THE STUMP

— DEMPSEY STOPS BY THE HORSE RACE: With campaign season in full swing, The Horse Race is interviewing candidates for statewide office. Auditor hopeful and former Transportation for Massachusetts director Chris Dempsey joined the podcast this week to discuss his plans for auditing the state police, the MBTA and how federal aid is being spent. Here are excerpts from his interview, and check out the full episode:

On his proposed state police audit: "We're looking at everything from the hiring process, to the promotion process, to the way they handle public records, to the way they handle evidence, to issues and complaints around racial profiling with people being pulled over and issued tickets. … [This is] a deeper dive in many ways and we cover a broader range of issues than the Legislature has addressed in the past."

On the T: "I think it surprises some people to learn that the auditor's office has a team dedicated to the MBTA. … We need to be focused on some of these larger projects and procurements that are really concerning in terms of their time delays and cost overruns [including the new Red and Orange line cars]."

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts reports 2,794 new coronavirus cases, COVID-19 hospitalizations keep falling," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The state Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported 2,794 daily coronavirus cases, a 44% drop from last Wednesday's total of 4,973 infections. The state's average percent positivity is now 4.08%, significantly down from the rate of 23% in early January. The positive test average for Wednesday's count was 2.87%."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Massachusetts State House locked down after protesters enter building during Baker press conference," by Sahar Fatima and Tonya Alanez, Boston Globe: "The Massachusetts State House was locked down after people protesting vaccine mandates entered the building during Governor Charlie Baker's press conference announcing the state was lifting school mask mandates. The State House has been closed to the public since earlier in the pandemic. Some protesters could be heard chanting, 'Open the State House to the people.' … [One of the protesters] is among a group of people who have also been protesting outside Mayor Michelle Wu's home in Roslindale against Boston's vaccine mandate for city employees."

— "Gov. Charlie Baker opposes vaccine mandate at Massachusetts State House," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday said he does not support a broad vaccine mandate at the Massachusetts State House, which has been closed to the public for 701 consecutive days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano are likely to incorporate a proof of vaccination requirement into their strategy for finally reopening the State House."

— "Report Backs Moving City Elections Alongside State Ones," by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): "In a new report published Wednesday, leaders of MassVOTE contended that Bay State communities could 'dramatically boost voter turnout rates' in municipal contests by moving them alongside the biennial statewide elections in even years."

— "Governor Charlie Baker to release first book," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Governor Charlie Baker will add a new title before he leaves office next year: author. In May, the second-term Republican will release his first book, "Results: Getting Beyond Politics to Get Important Work Done," a 300-page 'implementation guide' he wrote with his former chief of staff, Steve Kadish, according to Baker's office and an online summary. The book, which is being published by Harvard Business Review Press, is expected to draw on both Baker's nearly two terms in office and his time in the private sector, but it is not described as a memoir."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "Coronavirus levels continue to decline in Eastern Mass. waste water," by Martin Finucane and Ryan Huddle, Boston Globe: "The amount of coronavirus detected in sewage from communities in the MWRA's southern region is now less than one-18th of what it was when the surge peaked early this year, while the amount detected in sewage from the northern region is less than one-15th of what it was at its peak."

— "Boston's top hospital execs 'not ready to learn to live with' COVID-19," by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: "CEOs from three of Boston's top hospitals — Boston Children's, Beth Israel Lahey and Mass General Brigham — generally agreed during a roundtable discussion that they're not yet ready for a return to normal."

— "So far, Mass. residents have barely filed for COVID test reimbursements from insurers. Here's why," by Gabrielle Emanuel, WBUR: "New numbers suggest that so far only a small percentage of Massachusetts residents have taken advantage of a new federal program that requires private insurers to cover the cost of rapid COVID tests. In response to a request from WBUR, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts reported roughly 0.5% of its eligible members filed for reimbursement for the tests between January 15, when the program went live, and the end of that month."

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FROM THE HUB

— "Boston city councilors call hearing over ongoing public health emergency," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "City Councilors Frank Baker and Erin Murphy introduced a hearing order for an in-person session about the fact that the city's public health declarations remain in effect for the pandemic. … [Baker said] Mayor Michelle Wu's administration has 'not been paying attention to business needs' and potentially has put a thumb on the scale of collective bargaining with the city's mandates to require all employees to get the jab and many businesses to require patrons to provide proof of vaccination."

— More: "In ongoing COVID-19 vaccine mandate battle, frictions emerge between council and Wu," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "The stalemate between Mayor Michelle Wu and municipal labor unions over her COVID-19 vaccination mandate is sparking political pushback from a source close to the mayor's heart: the Boston City Council."

— "New Black Mothers Peace Initiative to argue for police in 'vulnerable' Boston schools," by Flint McColgan, Boston Herald: "Children are left without needed police protection against violence in Boston schools, community members argued at a tense community meeting in Dorchester. Their complaints and hope for change is embodied in a new group — Black Mothers Peace Initiative."

— "In Boston's District 4, new councilor Brian Worrell wrestles with police reform questions," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "Worrell represents one of the city's most diverse districts, with more than 90 percent residents of color, yet he also received the backing of the city's largest police union in his campaign last year. It's a dichotomy that comes amid a police reform discourse filled with uncompromising talking points. Yet his views on police reform, and the delicate political balance they strike, point to the complexities of the debate that often get lost or ignored in the public debate."

— "Boston residents want to become notaries, DJs, according to Google," by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: "Who wants to be a notary? How about a DJ? Apparently quite a few people in Massachusetts, according to a new Google Trends report on job searches in the Bay State."

PARTY POLITICS

— "Masked intruder threatens Massachusetts Republican staffers at party headquarters," by Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald: "A crazed intruder in a pink mask stomped into the MassGOP office in Woburn, calling staffers and volunteers 'fascists' before threatening to 'come back with a weapon' in an unhinged outburst police are investigating. No arrests were announced Wednesday night, but Woburn police told the Herald the man's 'mental health' is part of the probe."

CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Iron Workers Local 7 has endorsed state Sen. Diana DiZoglio for state auditor, per her campaign.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Tania Del Rio has added Mark Guiterrez as field director for her campaign for Boston City Council District 1. Luisa Peña Lyons, Rep. Ayanna Pressley's former political director, also joins Del Rio's team as an advisor.

— "Former state senator to challenge Lori Trahan in midterms," by Jacob Vitali, Lowell Sun: "[Dean] Tran is looking to make his comeback. He said he is committed to showing people he is transparent and didn't act unethically intentionally. He also said the incumbent hasn't been without her own ethical concerns."

— "YWCA's Robyn Kennedy forms committee to run for seat held by Harriette Chandler of Worcester," by Marco Cartolano, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: "YWCA executive Robyn K. Kennedy has filed paperwork with the state indicating her intention to run for the Senate seat vacated by Harriette L. Chandler and she said she will make an announcement about her plans in the coming days."

— " Daniel Higgins, Melissa Alden join four-way race to replace District Attorney Michael O'Keefe," by Rachael Devaney, Cape Cod Times: "Daniel Higgins, assistant district attorney for the Cape and Islands District Attorney's office; and Melissa Alden, a former Yarmouth police officer and current family and elder law attorney, will announce their campaigns this week, joining criminal defense attorney Robert Galibois and Republican John 'Jack' Carey, of East Sandwich, who announced their campaigns in January."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "Mayor Michelle Wu's push for free buses is spurring other cities and towns to act," by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "Riders of the 23, 28, and 29 buses, which run through Mattapan, Dorchester, and Roxbury, will not be charged any fares starting in March, a first step, Mayor Michelle Wu hopes, toward making the T free. … As Wu handed out fliers about the free service in three languages at businesses in Grove Hall on Wednesday, other cities and towns surrounding Boston were moving forward with plans to make MBTA bus lines in their areas free, too."

FROM THE DELEGATION

— From the opinion pages: "My miscarriage was crushing. Overturning Roe could make the ordeal even worse," by Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark, Boston Globe: "If there were bounty hunters when I suffered a miscarriage, would my routine surgery have been readily available to me? Certainly not."

— "Markey, Warren, Moulton lean on GE to bring back work to Lynn," by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: "After General Electric decided to move some work from its jet-engine plant in Lynn to other factories — including some overseas — the politicians who represent the North Shore city in Congress are pushing back."

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— "Peabody awarded sensors to monitor pollution," by Paul Leighton, Salem News: "When residents opposed to a planned new peaker power plant began looking for data on air pollution in Peabody, they soon discovered a concerning fact — there is none. … That void is about to be filled. The city of Peabody, in partnership with Breathe Clean North Shore, was recently awarded seven air sensors through a program run by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. … Peabody is one of 39 communities that will receive a total of 292 air sensors, according to MassDEP."

FROM THE 413

— "Protestors seek end to monkey research at UMass," by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "Inside a building at the University of Massachusetts, laboratory experiments on marmoset monkeys are continuing, despite occasional protests by animal rights organizations that have targeted this work."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "Susan M. Collins becomes first woman of color to lead Boston Federal Reserve Bank," by Larry Edelman, Boston Globe: "Susan M. Collins, a Harvard- and MIT-trained economist with extensive experience in government and academia, will be the next president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the first woman of color selected to lead one of the 12 regional Fed branches since the central bank system was created in 1914."

— "Harvard professors drop support for colleague accused of sexual harassment," by Laura Krantz, Boston Globe: "Nearly all of the Harvard professors who signed a letter of support for their colleague John Comaroff have removed their names, saying Wednesday that their signatures were a grievous error in light of new allegations of sexual harassment levied against him."

— "As major seafood watch list weighs 'red-listing' lobster, Mass. lobstermen push back," by Walter Wuthmann, WBUR: "A popular seafood ranking guide is considering 'red listing' American lobster and other New England fisheries for the danger they pose to endangered North Atlantic right whales. … But Massachusetts lobstermen are pushing back on the description of their industry as unsustainable."

— "Report: Fewer opioids being prescribed in Mass.," by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Newburyport Daily News: "Massachusetts had the lowest opioid prescription rate in New England in 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Health care providers in the Bay State wrote 33.3 opioid prescriptions for every 100 residents, the federal agency reported."

— "Obama portraits heading to Boston this fall," by Malcolm Gay, Boston Globe: "This September, the Museum of Fine Arts will present the portraits of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, one of just two museums selected to extend 'The Obama Portraits Tour,' a traveling exhibition of the works by acclaimed artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald."

MEDIA MATTERS

— THE GLOBE'S LANDER DISCLAIMER: Eric Lander, President Joe Biden's top science adviser who announced his resignation this week after my POLITICO colleagues reported that he bullied subordinates, wrote columns for the Boston Globe and Washington Post last summer encouraging people to get vaccinated — without disclosing that he had a financial stake in BioNTech SE, the German company that partnered with Pfizer on a Covid-19 vaccine, Max Tani and Alex Thompson write in. After Thompson published a story on Lander's vaccine-maker stock, the Globe added an addendum.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former state Senate Ways and Means chair Stephen Brewer; the Boston Globe's Jeff Jacoby; Nolan O'Brien, Christopher Hartman, Peter Douvris, Jess Arena and Jonathan Pappas.

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