Dear Parents,

I want to bring up a subject that will pull at the heart strings of many of you and, at the same time, has had a temporary, yet life altering effect on all of us since March of 2020. I apologize for the length of this message, but I feel that all of us need to take a hard look at what the long term fall out might be with our children around wearing a mask now.

As parents and as educators I know that you will agree that we have a responsibility to keep our children and our students healthy and safe. Knowing that, all of us have followed the protocols that the various departments of health have put out. Now that most of us and our children have all been vaccinated and boosted, we all have a level of protection that we did not have two years ago. The masking mandate was lifted last school year for those who wished to not wear a mask. I believe that the time has come for all of us as parents and educators to take a hard look at why masks are being worn. Is there someone in the family who is physically compromised? Are masks being worn because we don't want to get a cold or flu? When I asked a few families about why their child was wearing a mask, their response was that their child said..."Other students are wearing their mask." To be mindful of not wanting to get a compromised family member sick is one thing, but to wear it because other students are wearing a mask does not seem to be a healthy way to look at mask wearing. Our reality has always been and will be ...... we all will continue to get colds and flus...some light and others a little more debilitating. Wearing a mask to prevent something that we have all been living with and experiencing since our birth seems to be potentially sending the wrong message to our children and students. I feel we need to live out through our example and our actions with our children/students that realiity...We all will get sick... our bodies have the ability and will fight off the viruses with or without medicine and we will get better and return to our normal routines. I feel we all need to be realistic and clear as to our reasoning for our students/children to wear a mask. Our students/children need us to help them cope with the reality of a normal life....getting a cold or flu and knowing that they will get better and their life WILL GO ON when they do get sick!!

All parents have the right and the duty to decide how they can keep their children healthy and safe. I just felt that the time has come for every parent to look at the whys of mask wearing for their child and any potential long term effects it might have on their son(s) or daughter(s). Thank you for taking the time to think about this reality.