ERIE, Pa. - Church officials are recommending, but not mandating the wearing of masks as thirty Catholic schools reopen this month in Mercer and the other twelve northwestern Pennsylvania counties of the Erie Diocese.

The Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Erie has released recommendations based on the guidance of the CDC, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Although all schools will be required to follow mandates that may be issued from government agencies, including masking, the Catholic Schools Office says it does not plan to issue any of its own mandates.

Diocesan officials say CDC recommendations and available transmission rate data have been studied and were used by the CSO to create protocols.

“We have two top priorities as we return to the classroom,” said Jim Gallagher, superintendent of schools. “We want to maintain the in-person instruction for students that has been so important in our approach, and we want to keep students and staff as safe as possible. We have been very successful with the mitigation of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, and our plans are designed to keep us on that path.”

Among key features schools are being asked to consider are:

  • Screening before entry into schools
  • Masking when a county is in the substantial or high categories of community spread
  • Distancing students and desks at a minimum of three feet
  • Washing and sanitizing hands throughout the school day
  • Disinfecting high-touch surfaces frequently
  • Increasing ventilation
  • Staying home when not feeling well
  • Self-reporting for contact tracing
  • Isolating or quarantining when appropriate.

The policies differ from those outlined recently for schools in the six-county Diocese of Youngstown, which is mandating masks for students and staff inside buildings.

“We are confident in the decisions we have made,” Gallagher said. “Our personnel and parents will have to pay attention to many details,” said Gallagher.

Parish-based schools and school systems are being urged to consider recommendations from official government agencies.

“We have 30 schools located within a 10,000-square-mile region,” Gallagher said. “Our students come from about 90 different school districts. It would not be fair to tie the hands of our administrators and boards. We are collaborating with and supporting our schools, but we have to allow for local autonomy.”

“We had hoped we would not find ourselves in this situation,” said Gallagher, “We will be as thoughtful and deliberate as possible when updating our procedures.”