I Support Masks in Schools

Should masks be mandated? Should there be any safety protocol? Throughout the pandemic, the U.S. has been fiercely divided. The shit storm continues as hundreds of Illinois parents filed a lawsuit against the State Governor and the State Board of Education to block covid-19 mitigation efforts at 144 Illinois school districts.

On Friday, February 4, 2022, an Illinois judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, hence temporarily barring school mask mandates, weekly covid-19 testing for unvaccinated school staff, and quarantine for close contacts of a recently infected individual without going to court for due process. The reason cited accused the governor of overstepping his authority by implementing these measures to combat the spread of covid-19. This is an ongoing case and the state’s attorney general’s office is expected to appeal.

Meanwhile, 144 Illinois school districts are forced to act per the judge’s ruling for a temporary restraining order against said mitigation efforts.

As of Monday, February 7, 2022, masks were made optional at hundreds of Illinois school buildings, including my child’s elementary school. I was made aware of this change via e-mail on the evening of Sunday, February 6, 2022, giving me less than one day’s notice to contemplate the change and the effect it might have on my family and community.

As a parent and a citizen, I cannot fathom why anyone would not want strategies in place that help control the spread of a deadly virus. I don’t understand why there are people fighting against the measures that keep them and their communities safe.

The anti-maskers argue it’s about their freedom. What about the freedom for children to attend school safely during a global pandemic? They argue it’s about personal choice. But when it affects the rest of the community, as it does in the case of a novel virus, it’s not personal; everyone is affected. They argue against the Center for Disease Control’s recommendations. Why do people think that they know more than infectious disease experts do? I have heard people say that they’re “not afraid”, which seems entirely irrelevant when talking about a virus. The virus doesn’t give a shit if you’re afraid. It doesn’t work that way. It infects people whether they’re afraid or not. I don’t see the logic in chanting about freedom and fearlessness when talking about a global public health crisis.

There’s so much argument concerning every aspect of the pandemic and how it should be handled. Emotions are strong on both sides. Many of us have mixed emotions. I think it is safe to say all of us want this to be over.

No one likes any of this. No one enjoys wearing a mask, social distancing, having to quarantine, or getting that tickly nasal swab covid test. This whole ordeal sucks; we can all agree on that. But putting our heads up our asses and pretending this pandemic isn’t happening is not going to solve anything.

We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that the whole world is struggling to control this virus. People are dying. People are getting severely sick; many with long-term debilitating effects caused by the virus. Hospitals, notoriously already short-handed, are entirely overwhelmed. Businesses are suffering. This is happening and we are all affected.

In the last two years, progress has been made. Vaccines are widely available. However, most communities have not yet reached a sufficient vaccination rate to implement herd immunity. Communities are struggling to decipher all of the information and misinformation that is out there. And while individual choice is a right, we need to be responsible.

Within the last few months, the virus has been coming closer and closer to home, as the omicron variant spread. In fact, by now most of us personally know several people who have had covid. This seems like an awful time to stop practicing safety precautions, especially in a school environment. It is simply not safe. The insufficient vaccination numbers, along with the spikes in hospital cases, show we are not through this yet.

A global pandemic does not get better by ignoring its existence or showing it how “tough” you are. Taking your masks off, stomping your feet, and demanding things go back to normal is not a remedy. For this to be over, there needs to be a strategy. We need time, tools, research, and a unified effort to keep each other safe.