Students throughout Newark Public Schools now have the choice to wear a mask or not to wear one.

"I think it's a good idea though,” says Dale Brown, a teacher at Barringer High School. “The kids are a little tired of the mask mandates."

A statement from a district spokesperson said, “Given our review of multiple indicators and with the advice of the Newark Health Department and our healthcare partners, the mask mandate is lifted beginning Monday, Sept. 12. Masks are now optional in our schools and facilities."

It's believed Newark was one of the last remaining school districts in the state holding onto the mandate. At least for now, mask mandates are a thing of the past at the Newark Public Schools, as students and staff navigate the change. Still, some elect to keep their face covered.

"It's going to be off and on, and it depends. When I'm walking in the halls, I will probably have my mask on,” says Brown. “In the class it depends. Personally, my class doesn't have any windows so I will have my mask on. "

Since March 7, school districts throughout the state have been given the freedom to make their own choices about masking, but the city's Health Department recommended keeping it in place until now.

Currently, no New Jersey counties have a high COVID-19 transmission level. The decision does not include Newark-based charter schools.