Teachers and students “unmask” their opinions on mandate removal
January 19, 2022
Seventy-six percent of teachers that responded to a recent survey conducted by The Page are in favor of keeping the mask mandate in K-12 public schools throughout Virginia in effect. This group consists of 118 teachers out of the total 155 respondents.
This school-wide discussion has been prompted by governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent decision to overturn the mask mandate, going into effect next Monday, Jan. 24. The Virginia Beach school board is deciding whether or not our school system will implement the measure at their upcoming meeting on Thursday.
One anonymous teacher commented that they fear “removing this safety mitigation will only increase the spread and increase the absences that have been growing over the past few weeks.”
This opinion reflects the larger trend of anonymous comments from teachers expressing their concerns with the mask mandate being lifted, with the current shortage of substitutes throughout the school system.
With students already being crowded in classrooms, another anonymous teacher believes that “teachers will need to be given the option of virtual versus face-to-face,” if masks are no longer required in schools.
Like the majority of the teachers, 72.1 percent of student respondents are in favor of keeping the mask mandate, largely for reasons that concern protecting the health and safety of themselves and others.
One anonymous student feels “unsafe that the mask mandate is going away,” on account of them having family members that are immunocompromised. This opinion is reiterated by another anonymous student who believes everyone should be wearing masks, “especially during flu season and due to the fact that Covid cases have spiked to where the number of cases are similar to peak Covid back in 2020.”
Mandate aside, another anonymous student is simply “surprised we are not going back to hybrid or virtual learning with this huge increase in numbers.”
This comment is further expressed by an anonymous teacher’s comment that states: “It is hard to believe that during the most infectious wave of this pandemic we are even considering lifting a mask mandate.”
However, there are also teachers and students who believe that parents/students should be given the choice to wear masks to school or not.
One anonymous teacher believes that “Masks are not effective in preventing the transmission of the virus. Especially when staff/students are constantly pulling/readjusting ill-fitting masks.”
Another anonymous student describes “the whole mask thing” as “pretty murky,” explaining that they are “beginning to doubt the effectiveness, or usefulness of the masks, especially with the vaccines.”
This comment aligns with a fairly common opinion of teachers and students who did not respond in favor of keeping the mask mandate, that those who are vaccinated should be given the choice.
Still, the majority of teacher and student respondents are assured in their opinion that the current state of the virus, both nationally and within Virginia, is reason enough for this option to not be currently implemented.
As an anonymous teacher explains, “Rights are interesting things. One person’s right to choose impacts another person’s right to provide what they feel is a healthy and safe environment for their child.”
*Staff writer Delaney Brenner contributed to the formation of this story.
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Isaac Kwong • Jan 20, 2022 at 10:49 am
As we step into a new era in the Commonwealth of Virginia, we find ourselves at an impasse over the concept of masking. Although Governor Youngkin put out an executive order removing mask mandates and allowing students to choose whether or not they want to wear a mask, many school systems question the ruling. Should we be forced to wear face masks for our “protection” (even though they have limited effects on reducing viral transmission), or should we be allowed freedom of choice? The fact that this debate exists is preposterous. To defy an executive order is not only immoral but illegal, as well (stated under the Dillon Rule). State law reigns supreme over local law, so it should be apparent to the school board that they are prohibited from circumventing the government’s ordinance. And yet that is not what the school board does. The board, which is composed of a majority of despots and communists, chooses to corrupt and pervert the meaning of freedom by giving us the choice not to choose. This is what our school board has become: a tyrannic, despotic, authoritarian body that sees itself as being above all others, even the governor. The school board chooses to spread fear amongst its subjects; because fear leads to desperation and desperation leads to compliance; and that is exactly what the school board wants: compliance. It encroaches upon the rights of innocent students such as ourselves and destroys the concept of liberty within the walls of our educational facilities. How can this go unpunished? So I implore you, all of you who support the principles our beautiful nation is built on, to fight against this tyranny. Let our truth known; we will not stand for such evil.
Ariel Smith • Jan 25, 2022 at 7:31 am
I wholeheartedly agree with you on your statement it is rather quite preposterous that this debate even exists. We should of been able to choose whether or not to wear a mask throughout this whole pandemic. I also agree by the fact the school board chooses to spread fear to fellow peers, especially since our age group is barely effected by the virus. The statistics even show that our age group is fairly low in deaths let alone the cases in the first place.
Alex Hall • Jan 25, 2022 at 7:38 am
How dare the school board try and protect their students from spreading an ongoing pandemic…
Brylan • Jan 25, 2022 at 10:21 am
Oh nah Mr. Kwong off the perc, it aint that big, its a piece of cloth; a board of people entrusted with the school’s safety want people to wear masks for the safety of others, as that is how masks work, is not communism nor authoritarian. Chill.
Isa Marie Lizama • Jan 20, 2022 at 7:53 am
“Masks are not effective in preventing the transmission of the virus. Especially when staff/students are constantly pulling/readjusting ill fitting masks.” Well of course, that is how it works. EIther get a smaller/bigger mask, or try and look up a video on how to fit it better. One google search and its evident that masks do help prevent the spread if used correctly , while you use some distance and frequent use of hand sanitizer . That is like saying “oh a towel doesn’t make you completely dry after you shower ” but you still use a towel , its not the same thing but the same logic.A mask is only one of the steps for protection to combat the corona virus . Since a global pandemic is not something people usually get ready for, maybe people do not understand or know how to properly protect your self with an invisible threat that the corona virus is.