Official word—no more masks as of 3/1/22

[Anonymous]

Our elementary bus stop was about 50/50 (but the bus itself looked pretty mask-y) when it pulled up. My child didn’t have a mask but chose to pack one. Curious how day will play out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved out of state and our school system approved voluntary masks last May. It took a week or so before students started taking masks off.

The only kids wearing masks in high school are those whose politics drive their mask wearing. Nobody would say anything to them directly, but it’s sad and it’s almost exclusively black students.

Or maybe the black students were more likely to have loved ones suffer from covid and are more motivated to be careful. Most people who wear masks do so because they don't want to get covid, not because they are trying to make some statement.

[Anonymous]

Our child wants to go mask free, which is fine, but we asked him not to be a dick about it. It should go both ways. It’s a transition period and everyone needs to respect each other’s decision. I would hope that adults are modeling appropriately.

[Anonymous]

The masked kids at my bus stop (ES) have younger siblings that are unvaccinated.

We're all vaccinated but my son said he wanted to wear a mask "because he didn't want people seeing his face." Sigh. He had a little anxiety in the beginning of the year but has been doing really well since October. Hoping it'll pass quickly. We do want him to mask the 2 weeks before Spring Break bc we're going somewhere where we need negative PCRs for entry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anecdotally, I saw a lot of masks worn outside my kids high school at drop off today.

Same at our ES drop-off. I actually didn't see any kids without masks. I did see some of the teachers without masks at the drop-off line.

[Anonymous]

My kid is pretty cautious by nature and his teacher has an infant, so he’ll continue wearing a mask for now. Apparently, the kids were discussing it yesterday and the majority said they planned to continue wearing masks. We’ll see how things play out over the next few weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is pretty cautious by nature and his teacher has an infant, so he’ll continue wearing a mask for now. Apparently, the kids were discussing it yesterday and the majority said they planned to continue wearing masks. We’ll see how things play out over the next few weeks.

I am surprised—my kid said “literally no one plans to wear a mask.” But that may be the kids’ and not parents’ opinions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anecdotally, I saw a lot of masks worn outside my kids high school at drop off today.

Those are the kids who can’t deal with a 10 day isolation period— academically or for sport, spring play, robotics, prom, etc. Mine will stay masked at least through prom and APs. Not due to COVID fear bit due to fear of being out 10 days. As much for her EC as academics.

[Anonymous]

My HS, MS and ES-er all went without masks, but I really don't care what anyone else does. I think the crazies on both sides really REALLY want their "view" to be vindicated somehow with...anecdotal stories of bus stop mask counts, or whatever. Its bizarre. Move on people.

[Anonymous]

At drop off at ES today most kids were in masks, but a handful were not. It seemed like the youngest kids were the least likely to be masked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My HS, MS and ES-er all went without masks, but I really don't care what anyone else does. I think the crazies on both sides really REALLY want their "view" to be vindicated somehow with...anecdotal stories of bus stop mask counts, or whatever. Its bizarre. Move on people.

My kid who really wants to go mask free was feeling the peer pressure seeing all the masks. Maybe that's some of it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved out of state and our school system approved voluntary masks last May. It took a week or so before students started taking masks off.

The only kids wearing masks in high school are those whose politics drive their mask wearing. Nobody would say anything to them directly, but it’s sad and it’s almost exclusively black students.

Tell me you don’t have a HS junior/senior without telling me you don’t have a HS junior/senior. AP classes and exams. Prom. Spring musicals. Sports seasons. Robotics, MUN, and other academic team finals p. District music assessments. My kid and her friends are staying masked because they would miss too much if they were out ten days.

[Anonymous]

My HS kid decided to wear a mask going in but will manage the wearing/not wearing of it based on circumstance (too crowded vs not, etc.).

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:As someone who wanted mask optional, please people just take the win and move on.

+1 We got what we believed was correct and we should just be pleased our children can finally remove their masks. Let's move on rather than trying to do some sort of end zone celebration about it.

I am not. I am a teacher and wanted the option. I’m actually afraid of the reaction tomorrow. There have been some nasty comments already about fellow teachers being maskless.

Nasty comments from fellow staff? I haven’t noticed that. I was thinking a good number of staff will be without masks tomorrow. Of course I realize it will vary by school.

ES Teacher

Yes. I’ve heard through the grapevine teachers making comments about what they think of co workers who won’t mask.

My own coworkers said in our group chat “I will be judging teachers who don’t mask.” Which like ok but why tell people? Anyway, do what you want. People will judge either way. I’m so sick of my entire personality and value system being assigned to this mask. I will wear it in surge periods/ winter but we need to remove this stigma of moral deficiency if people take it off in lower risk times. There were 750 new cases in all of VA yesterday. It’s arguably fine to go without at this current time.

Spot on with the personality and value system!!

I am just exercising my choice like everyone else. I am not judging that they still want to wear it.

Why are teachers and schools environments so judgmental? Never heard of a workplace so drama filled and gossipy. My own office dropped the mask requirement yesterday. No discussions about who would or would not mask. We’re just moving on and doing what’s right for each person. Mask optional is a nonevent in my office. And I’m sure we have immunocompromised people, people with kids less than 5, etc in the office building.

80%+ of teachers are a UMC white women. So basically, it’s schools full of Karen’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved out of state and our school system approved voluntary masks last May. It took a week or so before students started taking masks off.

The only kids wearing masks in high school are those whose politics drive their mask wearing. Nobody would say anything to them directly, but it’s sad and it’s almost exclusively black students.

Tell me you don’t have a HS junior/senior without telling me you don’t have a HS junior/senior. AP classes and exams. Prom. Spring musicals. Sports seasons. Robotics, MUN, and other academic team finals p. District music assessments. My kid and her friends are staying masked because they would miss too much if they were out ten days.

Why would they be out ten days?