Masks optional by spring break

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basically at this point I think the vast majority of us can ignore anyone who says,

We MUST MASK in schools no matter what!

OR

We MUST NOT MASK in schools no matter what!

It's pretty obvious that this needs to be a balancing act that takes the needs of the community and individual needs into consideration. Vaccination and booster rates, rates of community spread, transmissibility and other public health metrics can be weighed together with the results of continually emerging research on the benefits, efficacy, costs, risks, and pitfalls of masking -- not to mention other situational and contextual factors (e.g. indoors or outdoors, small or large groups, etc etc.)

Personally I would wait until this surge passes, and then -- in the absence of new information -- immediately remove outdoor masking requirements for all students and masking requirements for kids under the age of 6. I'd very likely make masking optional in elementary schools -- it sounds like lots of folks would keep masking and that's great -- but keep them mandatory in high schools where masking is likely more effective and carries lower social costs.

But basically if you are taking an all or nothing approach at this point, the vast majority of us are ignoring you. Covid is here to stay -- and community masking has more than a non-zero effect on transmission rates -- so the policy response has to be measured and moderate -- not ALL THE TIME or NEVER.

Obviously.

I agree with you, but I will point out that the policy is currently an ‘all or nothing’ response. Masks for all kids, over the age of 2, all the time. Some schools are even pushing them for outdoor recess.

Definitely no masks for kids age 6 and under. Definitely no masks outdoors.

Plus, the people pushing to remove the mask mandate are not trying to ban masks. They are simply looking for mask choice.

Yup. But I don't think folks who want a more nuanced approach are going to get much mileage out of meeting ALL! with NOTHING! Instead, those looking for more flexibility might get a lot more support if they focus on the lowest hanging fruit -- e.g. making masking optional for ages 2-6. they need to distance themselves from the crazy masking-is-the-new-Holocaust crowd and meet those who have real concerns with wisdom and compassion.

And honestly, the population here is relatively well-educated, civic-minded, and reasonable -- DCUM trolls notwithstanding. So the successful approach has to be honest that Public Health Measure is weighing a likely decrease in Covid transmission by X% -- potentially preventing Y in Z number of people -- against costs (A), risks (B), and concerns (C).

Those who seek to maintain mandatory masking in schools need to acknowledge that whatever downsides there may be, masking in schools carries a non-zero cost. For example, costs in actual dollars (which are NOT nothing or negligible for many students), physical discomfort (however minor,) speech / communication issues (again, however marginal or minor) -- and acknowledge that even very minor downsides start to add up over time. There is a difference between wearing a mask in school for a month and masking for a year. Which doesn't necessarily translate to yes/no (!) -- but an honest approach HAS to acknowledge that downsides might accrue over time.

By the same token, those who seem to make changes to policy have to acknowledge the potential risks of making masking voluntary. The risks are non-zero. Even if the effects of community masking are subtle, even if masking protects less against certain variants, even if we don't have best-possible evidence that cloth masks are better than no masks, etc etc -- An honest approach HAS to acknowledge the possibility of increased risk of harm to members of the community.

None of that implies MASKING or NO MASKING! Just -- it is a balancing act. There are costs and risks and IMO the key is to make sure that benefits and costs alike are distributed as equitably as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the masks for little kids. Why are we doing this to them when they don’t even get that sick? It’s crazy.

Because we're trying to balance the needs of the individual to the needs of the community.

Masking a six-year old does very little for the ‘needs of the community’.

What happens if that six year old is allowed to take off her mask? It’s not the end of the world. Teachers are vaccinated. They can be boosted. They can wear masks if they choose. Other students can wear their masks.

Vaccines help at best with symptoms. They no longer stop covid. So, it is a big deal given you can get covid multiple times.

Then why are we requiring vaccines for MCPS athletes. The health officials think they are helpful. Let’s drop the vaccine requirement for athletes, please. And let’s not even discuss requiring boosters before next year.

Athletes are in very close contact and many play on multiple teams which makes it riskier. You can just do private sports. That’s what we do if you don’t want the requirement. Simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a reasonable goal given our vaccination rates, decline of omicron, success of mask optional schools in neighboring Virginia, announcement from the archdiocese of Arlington… there is so much data to support this too.

What do you think?

FU OP. Seriously- people like you are prolonging the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

I have to wonder what professional trolls are engaged here trying to float the idea that masks are bad. They've done it before and will again..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a reasonable goal given our vaccination rates, decline of omicron, success of mask optional schools in neighboring Virginia, announcement from the archdiocese of Arlington… there is so much data to support this too.

What do you think?

That's TROLLtastic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a reasonable goal given our vaccination rates, decline of omicron, success of mask optional schools in neighboring Virginia, announcement from the archdiocese of Arlington… there is so much data to support this too.

What do you think?

That's TROLLtastic!

Bringing up Virginia, tips your hand, Corey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a reasonable goal given our vaccination rates, decline of omicron, success of mask optional schools in neighboring Virginia, announcement from the archdiocese of Arlington… there is so much data to support this too.

What do you think?

FU OP. Seriously- people like you are prolonging the pandemic.

Really? How do you figure? Seems unlikely that as humans, we can really have much of an effect on this virus. We’ve tried and tried (masks, vaccines, shutdowns). Guess what? COVID is still around.

All we can do is make the risks more manageable and move on with things.

People can decide what precautions they want to take. You want to make up forever? Go for it. You want boosters every 4 months? Go for it.

Let families decide what precautions they feel are necessary and quit it with the overbearing mandates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a reasonable goal given our vaccination rates, decline of omicron, success of mask optional schools in neighboring Virginia, announcement from the archdiocese of Arlington… there is so much data to support this too.

What do you think?

FU OP. Seriously- people like you are prolonging the pandemic.

Really? How do you figure? Seems unlikely that as humans, we can really have much of an effect on this virus. We’ve tried and tried (masks, vaccines, shutdowns). Guess what? COVID is still around.

All we can do is make the risks more manageable and move on with things.

People can decide what precautions they want to take. You want to make up forever? Go for it. You want boosters every 4 months? Go for it.

Let families decide what precautions they feel are necessary and quit it with the overbearing mandates.

People like you will NEVER understand unless you or a family member gets hospitalized. It’s umfathomable to me how many clueless folks there are in this country.

[Anonymous]

Fwiw, I just checked the Virginia boards. It's like a sea of anti-maskers. Obviously, they've decided to continue that campaign over here

There are conclusions I draw now that I would have rejected for a dystopian novel plot five years ago as being too unrealistic: I genuinely think this an organized campaign designed to do two things:

1.) Kill poor people
2.) Destroy public schools

I don't think every anti-masker is an avowed eugenicist, but I do think there are a lot of people who aren't very bothered that the majority of people impacted by the virus are infirm, elderly, of color, and poor. Certainly, there are a lot of school "choice" advocates who are thrilled to see schools stumble, and the Virginia governor's race shows us how capable they are of mobilizing fake grassroots campaign designed to disrupt and destroy rather than build.

I know how that sounds. I would love to be wrong. But it doesn't seem like I am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone unmask before covid pills / treatments are available?

Just keep moving goalposts

What is “moving goalposts” to some is “adapting to shifting conditions” to others.

At what point do we decide that mass masking of children isn't necessary mitigation strategy?

Duh when it’s not a pandemic.

So first it was when the teachers could get vaccinated then it was when the kids could get vaccine now it's just "when it's not a pandemic"
Like when is this going to be over?! I'm over this shit.

It was always "when it's not a pandemic."
But, apparently it was never a pandemic for you and it will never be.
Unfortunately, stupidity is unbeatable. Selfishness does not help too.

huoehwfheihf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:F there are a lot of people who aren't very bothered that the majority of people impacted by the virus are infirm, elderly, of color, and poor.

the insurrectionist GQP for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the masks for little kids. Why are we doing this to them when they don’t even get that sick? It’s crazy.

Key word: YOU hate the masks. The little kids are fine. Stop trying to make this about you. You can't adapt. They can. They HAVE.

YOU will need to adapt when all our kids unmask this spring. There...see how that feels lol.

Apparently, everyone glossed over my post. I'm a highschooler with elementary aged siblings. No one cares about masks. Not my friends, not their friends, not my siblings. My mom lied to the school board and said my siblings come home crying every day over masks as if lying is normal. I realized then adults don't care about us at all. They care about their own agendas and are using us as scapegoats. I have no doubt a few kids hate masks. Not the majority. Not anyone I know. Not anyone they know. Not their siblings. Not my siblings. Not their friends. However, we've all come to find out our parents are trying to spin a different narrative for us. In our name. On our behalf. It's horrible being only 16 and realizing your parents are liars. I've had friends tell me their parents have asked them to cry at school board meetings. To ask them to lie about how they felt about virtual. To speak without their consent about their "experiences" as a mask wearing student. It's far, far worse than MoCo trying to protect citizens. You have all cultivated this entire community of distrust and we all see it. Kids see it. Teenagers see it. We aren't mentally traumatized by masks or virtual learning. We are traumatized by seeing people we trusted turning into actual liars, while using us as their scapegoat. If we need mental health professionals, it's probably because of the mental health professionals in this community just trying to get their name in the news. No one listens to us though because we are kids.

I hear you. My kids don't mind wearing mask either. I have yet to meet a kid that has a problem with wearing masks. I think the school year should finish out with masks for consistency. If numbers stay low over the summer, remove the mandate for next school year.

My daughter forgets her mask is on. Because she has worn it 40 hours a week for 18m. But she is having a terrible time learning to read, her speech is off (slurred almost muffled) and she has some social anxiety and OCD. Now, it’s totally possible that masks are not the cause but I can’t find out because I can’t unmask her. It’s gone on long enough. We need to give parents the choice especially for youngest kids. Especially when cases are precipitously declining. We lack nuance. Masks should have always been optional when case rates were a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the masks for little kids. Why are we doing this to them when they don’t even get that sick? It’s crazy.

Key word: YOU hate the masks. The little kids are fine. Stop trying to make this about you. You can't adapt. They can. They HAVE.

YOU will need to adapt when all our kids unmask this spring. There...see how that feels lol.

Apparently, everyone glossed over my post. I'm a highschooler with elementary aged siblings. No one cares about masks. Not my friends, not their friends, not my siblings. My mom lied to the school board and said my siblings come home crying every day over masks as if lying is normal. I realized then adults don't care about us at all. They care about their own agendas and are using us as scapegoats. I have no doubt a few kids hate masks. Not the majority. Not anyone I know. Not anyone they know. Not their siblings. Not my siblings. Not their friends. However, we've all come to find out our parents are trying to spin a different narrative for us. In our name. On our behalf. It's horrible being only 16 and realizing your parents are liars. I've had friends tell me their parents have asked them to cry at school board meetings. To ask them to lie about how they felt about virtual. To speak without their consent about their "experiences" as a mask wearing student. It's far, far worse than MoCo trying to protect citizens. You have all cultivated this entire community of distrust and we all see it. Kids see it. Teenagers see it. We aren't mentally traumatized by masks or virtual learning. We are traumatized by seeing people we trusted turning into actual liars, while using us as their scapegoat. If we need mental health professionals, it's probably because of the mental health professionals in this community just trying to get their name in the news. No one listens to us though because we are kids.

I hear you. My kids don't mind wearing mask either. I have yet to meet a kid that has a problem with wearing masks. I think the school year should finish out with masks for consistency. If numbers stay low over the summer, remove the mandate for next school year.

My daughter forgets her mask is on. Because she has worn it 40 hours a week for 18m. But she is having a terrible time learning to read, her speech is off (slurred almost muffled) and she has some social anxiety and OCD. Now, it’s totally possible that masks are not the cause but I can’t find out because I can’t unmask her. It’s gone on long enough. We need to give parents the choice especially for youngest kids. Especially when cases are precipitously declining. We lack nuance. Masks should have always been optional when case rates were a joke.

Interesting. My 12yo 6th grader has started to show slurred speech as well.

We had speech therapy when he was much younger, but it feels like he's reverting a bit.

If masks become optional, he will remove his. Partner and I are vaxxed + boosted and he and his sibling both fully vaxxed. I believe in the vaccine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the masks for little kids. Why are we doing this to them when they don’t even get that sick? It’s crazy.

Key word: YOU hate the masks. The little kids are fine. Stop trying to make this about you. You can't adapt. They can. They HAVE.

YOU will need to adapt when all our kids unmask this spring. There...see how that feels lol.

Apparently, everyone glossed over my post. I'm a highschooler with elementary aged siblings. No one cares about masks. Not my friends, not their friends, not my siblings. My mom lied to the school board and said my siblings come home crying every day over masks as if lying is normal. I realized then adults don't care about us at all. They care about their own agendas and are using us as scapegoats. I have no doubt a few kids hate masks. Not the majority. Not anyone I know. Not anyone they know. Not their siblings. Not my siblings. Not their friends. However, we've all come to find out our parents are trying to spin a different narrative for us. In our name. On our behalf. It's horrible being only 16 and realizing your parents are liars. I've had friends tell me their parents have asked them to cry at school board meetings. To ask them to lie about how they felt about virtual. To speak without their consent about their "experiences" as a mask wearing student. It's far, far worse than MoCo trying to protect citizens. You have all cultivated this entire community of distrust and we all see it. Kids see it. Teenagers see it. We aren't mentally traumatized by masks or virtual learning. We are traumatized by seeing people we trusted turning into actual liars, while using us as their scapegoat. If we need mental health professionals, it's probably because of the mental health professionals in this community just trying to get their name in the news. No one listens to us though because we are kids.

I hear you. My kids don't mind wearing mask either. I have yet to meet a kid that has a problem with wearing masks. I think the school year should finish out with masks for consistency. If numbers stay low over the summer, remove the mandate for next school year.

My daughter forgets her mask is on. Because she has worn it 40 hours a week for 18m. But she is having a terrible time learning to read, her speech is off (slurred almost muffled) and she has some social anxiety and OCD. Now, it’s totally possible that masks are not the cause but I can’t find out because I can’t unmask her. It’s gone on long enough. We need to give parents the choice especially for youngest kids. Especially when cases are precipitously declining. We lack nuance. Masks should have always been optional when case rates were a joke.

Interesting. My 12yo 6th grader has started to show slurred speech as well.

We had speech therapy when he was much younger, but it feels like he's reverting a bit.

If masks become optional, he will remove his. Partner and I are vaxxed + boosted and he and his sibling both fully vaxxed. I believe in the vaccine.

Trolls moving the goalposts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a reasonable goal given our vaccination rates, decline of omicron, success of mask optional schools in neighboring Virginia, announcement from the archdiocese of Arlington… there is so much data to support this too.

What do you think?

FU OP. Seriously- people like you are prolonging the pandemic.

Really? How do you figure? Seems unlikely that as humans, we can really have much of an effect on this virus. We’ve tried and tried (masks, vaccines, shutdowns). Guess what? COVID is still around.

All we can do is make the risks more manageable and move on with things.

People can decide what precautions they want to take. You want to make up forever? Go for it. You want boosters every 4 months? Go for it.

Let families decide what precautions they feel are necessary and quit it with the overbearing mandates.

You are soaked in individualism and selfishness. Only you, your family, and those who agree with you. Who cares about the others?
It is impossible for you to understand that the reason we take measures is not only because we protect ourselves but also the broader community.
Students, immigrants, and many others here in the US and all over the world must be vaccinated against many diseases not only because these vaccines protect the single individuals but the entire community.
Yes, we tried masks, vaccines, shutdowns and COVID is still around. You forgot to say that these measures saved and continue to save thousands of lives.
We could have saved more if we had less people sharing your views.
You do not even appreciate the fact that all these measures allowed us (and you among us) to be this year closer to normalcy compared to where we were one and one and a half year ago.
I bet you are a law-and-order fanatic as long as your interests are protected. When the other's protection treatments pass below your threshold, you play the role of the anarchist.