When should DC drop its school mask mandate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This post is really heartening. We don't mind complying with the masks right now, but would love to see them go. I wonder how this will play out politically. This forum may represent a dynamic that is different from underserved communities which have been more conservative about COVID and have lower vaccination rates. Will they follow this trend? Also there was the recent student protest and even significant teacher opposition to school reopening in January. Although our city is divided I still think that we generally follow the same trends - for example support for schools being opened has been widespread this year despite pockets of opposition. So i do think there is hope. It would probably take a miracle.to get rid of the masks by the end of the schoolyear but you DC moms a
could make it happen. For this to happen isolation periods for DCPS children should definitely be reduced to five days.

Can you explain why you think underserved communities have been more conservative about COVID, while also having lower vaccination rates?

The "student protest" was an astroturfed campaign but a white mother whose kids are in-person at a different school from where the protest occurred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with other posters here that Bowser is unlikely to lift it anytime soon, as she's a follower, not a leader and has refused to provide real metrics for an off ramp to COVID restrictions (as well as just renewing her emergency powers again w/out anyone objecting). What will need to happen is more and more kids peacefully resisting this draconian rule (as kids in California and elsewhere are doing now) and more parents writing to DCPS demanding change.

Long term yes it would be nice if we actually had an opposition party in this town that could push back on the decades long stranglehold of Dem rule in DC.

OK, back to checking how many people were carjacked, robbed, or shot today. . . . . .

When winter break ended and every kid was tested to go back, our school sent a communication that kids would be double masked upon entry to school. My children refused (they were wearing kn95s and putting a surgical mask provided by the school under the kn95 would completely defeat its purpose) and were promptly sent to the principal’s office for refusing to comply.

Wow. Which school is this? A charter? Our DCPS also pressured everyone to "upgrade" their kids' masks, and the vast majority comply, but nobody was forced. I simply told my kids' teachers we would not be switching to disposables and they told me it was fine. One of them has kept wearing a cloth mask herself. This is in Upper NW. FWIW, neither the teacher with the cloth mask nor my kids ever got Covid.

Likely the same school in upper NW. It was resolved with a phone call, but my children are all in separate classrooms and were individually sent by different teachers because they wouldn’t put on the second mask. None of children has had COVID and they are vaccinated to the extent currently permitted for their age group. So it wasn’t forced, but definitely an expectation and I saw many children at pick up those first few weeks with a surgical mask under their kn95.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with other posters here that Bowser is unlikely to lift it anytime soon, as she's a follower, not a leader and has refused to provide real metrics for an off ramp to COVID restrictions (as well as just renewing her emergency powers again w/out anyone objecting). What will need to happen is more and more kids peacefully resisting this draconian rule (as kids in California and elsewhere are doing now) and more parents writing to DCPS demanding change.

Long term yes it would be nice if we actually had an opposition party in this town that could push back on the decades long stranglehold of Dem rule in DC.

OK, back to checking how many people were carjacked, robbed, or shot today. . . . . .

When winter break ended and every kid was tested to go back, our school sent a communication that kids would be double masked upon entry to school. My children refused (they were wearing kn95s and putting a surgical mask provided by the school under the kn95 would completely defeat its purpose) and were promptly sent to the principal’s office for refusing to comply.

Wow. Which school is this? A charter? Our DCPS also pressured everyone to "upgrade" their kids' masks, and the vast majority comply, but nobody was forced. I simply told my kids' teachers we would not be switching to disposables and they told me it was fine. One of them has kept wearing a cloth mask herself. This is in Upper NW. FWIW, neither the teacher with the cloth mask nor my kids ever got Covid.

Likely the same school in upper NW. It was resolved with a phone call, but my children are all in separate classrooms and were individually sent by different teachers because they wouldn’t put on the second mask. None of children has had COVID and they are vaccinated to the extent currently permitted for their age group. So it wasn’t forced, but definitely an expectation and I saw many children at pick up those first few weeks with a surgical mask under their kn95.

Yes, my kids are vaccinated as well. I have heard from friends at our school that their kids' teachers handed them donated KN95s when they showed up in cloth masks the first day after winter break. They think the teachers were under a lot of pressure from other parents (likely those who donated the masks) to enforce the mask "upgrade". I guess we got lucky that our teachers either aren't under that pressure or are refusing to bow to it. I do believe a lot of this is driven by anxious parents rather than teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with other posters here that Bowser is unlikely to lift it anytime soon, as she's a follower, not a leader and has refused to provide real metrics for an off ramp to COVID restrictions (as well as just renewing her emergency powers again w/out anyone objecting). What will need to happen is more and more kids peacefully resisting this draconian rule (as kids in California and elsewhere are doing now) and more parents writing to DCPS demanding change.

Long term yes it would be nice if we actually had an opposition party in this town that could push back on the decades long stranglehold of Dem rule in DC.

OK, back to checking how many people were carjacked, robbed, or shot today. . . . . .

When winter break ended and every kid was tested to go back, our school sent a communication that kids would be double masked upon entry to school. My children refused (they were wearing kn95s and putting a surgical mask provided by the school under the kn95 would completely defeat its purpose) and were promptly sent to the principal’s office for refusing to comply.

Wow. Which school is this? A charter? Our DCPS also pressured everyone to "upgrade" their kids' masks, and the vast majority comply, but nobody was forced. I simply told my kids' teachers we would not be switching to disposables and they told me it was fine. One of them has kept wearing a cloth mask herself. This is in Upper NW. FWIW, neither the teacher with the cloth mask nor my kids ever got Covid.

I am a teacher in NOVA and wear a cloth mask. I did get COVID but not from work. I can't wait to ditch the masks entirely. 90% of my students wear cloth masks or wear masks inappropriately. I am not bothering them to pull them up all day long. Meanwhile there is a push at my kids DC charter to outfit all kids with KN95s. No way I am sending my vaccinated kids who already had COVID in anything but a comfy cloth mask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure DC will be among the last to drop so I’m not holding my breath. At most, I think we might see dropping it for outdoor activities / drop off/ pick up as that’s really just COVID theatre.

I've not worn a mask at drop off or pickup in months, and no one seems to care. I'm not the only one, either.

You're a rebel and inconsiderate. It's all about you and how inconvenient wearing a mask is for you but never thinking of others.

PP here. Whether I wear a mask or not outside at pickup and drop off has zero impact on anyone else. It's not like I'm sharing an elevator maskless or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Masks will continue for indoors. There are still plenty of unvaccinated employees and students. Even if they all were it doesn’t matter because the majority of school staff feel safer with masks. I bet in 2023-4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Masks will continue for indoors. There are still plenty of unvaccinated employees and students. Even if they all were it doesn’t matter because the majority of school staff feel safer with masks. I bet in 2023-4

God, I hope you are wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure DC will be among the last to drop so I’m not holding my breath. At most, I think we might see dropping it for outdoor activities / drop off/ pick up as that’s really just COVID theatre.

I've not worn a mask at drop off or pickup in months, and no one seems to care. I'm not the only one, either.

You're a rebel and inconsiderate. It's all about you and how inconvenient wearing a mask is for you but never thinking of others.

PP here. Whether I wear a mask or not outside at pickup and drop off has zero impact on anyone else. It's not like I'm sharing an elevator maskless or something like that.

This. Masks outside are pure theater. I still wear one at pickup, even though I otherwise have never masked outdoors, because I would literally be the only one unmasked at our school. But unlike a lot of other parents, I take it off as soon as I start leaving the school grounds and am not near anyone anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with other posters here that Bowser is unlikely to lift it anytime soon, as she's a follower, not a leader and has refused to provide real metrics for an off ramp to COVID restrictions (as well as just renewing her emergency powers again w/out anyone objecting). What will need to happen is more and more kids peacefully resisting this draconian rule (as kids in California and elsewhere are doing now) and more parents writing to DCPS demanding change.

Long term yes it would be nice if we actually had an opposition party in this town that could push back on the decades long stranglehold of Dem rule in DC.

OK, back to checking how many people were carjacked, robbed, or shot today. . . . . .

When winter break ended and every kid was tested to go back, our school sent a communication that kids would be double masked upon entry to school. My children refused (they were wearing kn95s and putting a surgical mask provided by the school under the kn95 would completely defeat its purpose) and were promptly sent to the principal’s office for refusing to comply.

Wow. Which school is this? A charter? Our DCPS also pressured everyone to "upgrade" their kids' masks, and the vast majority comply, but nobody was forced. I simply told my kids' teachers we would not be switching to disposables and they told me it was fine. One of them has kept wearing a cloth mask herself. This is in Upper NW. FWIW, neither the teacher with the cloth mask nor my kids ever got Covid.

I am a teacher in NOVA and wear a cloth mask. I did get COVID but not from work. I can't wait to ditch the masks entirely. 90% of my students wear cloth masks or wear masks inappropriately. I am not bothering them to pull them up all day long. Meanwhile there is a push at my kids DC charter to outfit all kids with KN95s. No way I am sending my vaccinated kids who already had COVID in anything but a comfy cloth mask.

Good for you. I am also determined to keep up the resistance against the ridiculous push to make kids wear medical respirators all day, and I applaud my kid's teacher for doing the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure DC will be among the last to drop so I’m not holding my breath. At most, I think we might see dropping it for outdoor activities / drop off/ pick up as that’s really just COVID theatre.

I've not worn a mask at drop off or pickup in months, and no one seems to care. I'm not the only one, either.

You're a rebel and inconsiderate. It's all about you and how inconvenient wearing a mask is for you but never thinking of others.

PP here. Whether I wear a mask or not outside at pickup and drop off has zero impact on anyone else. It's not like I'm sharing an elevator maskless or something like that.

This. Masks outside are pure theater. I still wear one at pickup, even though I otherwise have never masked outdoors, because I would literally be the only one unmasked at our school. But unlike a lot of other parents, I take it off as soon as I start leaving the school grounds and am not near anyone anymore.

What's hilarious are the parents and kids who wear theirs walking all the way home. Outside. With hardly anyone around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today! Get rid of the mask mandates today, immediately. DC daily stats are very low. If someone wants to continue to mask up go ahead, no one will stop you or your child.

Except that the daily stats are not actually very low. They’ve actually plateaued high.

You can’t just make up facts.

Nor can you (make up daily stats). Check https://coronavirus.dc.gov/key-metrics

Thank you for sharing. I think the key metric here is hospitalization rates. We are approaching minimal (i.e., the lowest) hospitalization rate at 5.3%. (Minimal is <5). We're all about following the science, right? Let's start tethering our policy to that again, like we did when this first started and as it has continued to evolve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post is really heartening. We don't mind complying with the masks right now, but would love to see them go. I wonder how this will play out politically. This forum may represent a dynamic that is different from underserved communities which have been more conservative about COVID and have lower vaccination rates. Will they follow this trend? Also there was the recent student protest and even significant teacher opposition to school reopening in January. Although our city is divided I still think that we generally follow the same trends - for example support for schools being opened has been widespread this year despite pockets of opposition. So i do think there is hope. It would probably take a miracle.to get rid of the masks by the end of the schoolyear but you DC moms a
could make it happen. For this to happen isolation periods for DCPS children should definitely be reduced to five days.

Can you explain why you think underserved communities have been more conservative about COVID, while also having lower vaccination rates?

The "student protest" was an astroturfed campaign but a white mother whose kids are in-person at a different school from where the protest occurred.

DP, but I live in Ward 5 and go to a school that’s is almost entirely middle class black and Hispanic families. There is a contingent of people in our community who believe in Covid, mask religiously, but either won’t vaccinate or stopped at one shot. Some are vaccinated but have elderly family members who will no vaccinate. It stems from an understandable distrust of the medical community due to a history of racism as well as living in very underserved communities most of their lives. I think this is why DC’s vaccination rate remains lower than you might expect. We don’t have conservative anti-vaxxers but there are people here who just don’t want to go get a shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure DC will be among the last to drop so I’m not holding my breath. At most, I think we might see dropping it for outdoor activities / drop off/ pick up as that’s really just COVID theatre.

I've not worn a mask at drop off or pickup in months, and no one seems to care. I'm not the only one, either.

You're a rebel and inconsiderate. It's all about you and how inconvenient wearing a mask is for you but never thinking of others.

PP here. Whether I wear a mask or not outside at pickup and drop off has zero impact on anyone else. It's not like I'm sharing an elevator maskless or something like that.

This. Masks outside are pure theater. I still wear one at pickup, even though I otherwise have never masked outdoors, because I would literally be the only one unmasked at our school. But unlike a lot of other parents, I take it off as soon as I start leaving the school grounds and am not near anyone anymore.

Sometimes you just need to start a trend. Remember how it was last spring and early summer? People in DC were laughably reluctant to take off their masks, largely because others had them on. It's a positive social feedback loop that needs to be broken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post is really heartening. We don't mind complying with the masks right now, but would love to see them go. I wonder how this will play out politically. This forum may represent a dynamic that is different from underserved communities which have been more conservative about COVID and have lower vaccination rates. Will they follow this trend? Also there was the recent student protest and even significant teacher opposition to school reopening in January. Although our city is divided I still think that we generally follow the same trends - for example support for schools being opened has been widespread this year despite pockets of opposition. So i do think there is hope. It would probably take a miracle.to get rid of the masks by the end of the schoolyear but you DC moms a
could make it happen. For this to happen isolation periods for DCPS children should definitely be reduced to five days.

Can you explain why you think underserved communities have been more conservative about COVID, while also having lower vaccination rates?

The "student protest" was an astroturfed campaign but a white mother whose kids are in-person at a different school from where the protest occurred.

DP, but I live in Ward 5 and go to a school that’s is almost entirely middle class black and Hispanic families. There is a contingent of people in our community who believe in Covid, mask religiously, but either won’t vaccinate or stopped at one shot. Some are vaccinated but have elderly family members who will no vaccinate. It stems from an understandable distrust of the medical community due to a history of racism as well as living in very underserved communities most of their lives. I think this is why DC’s vaccination rate remains lower than you might expect. We don’t have conservative anti-vaxxers but there are people here who just don’t want to go get a shot.

I have no sympathy for their refusal to vaccinate anymore. Maybe their distrust was "understandable" when the vaccines were new, but that time has long passed. I think it's stupidity just like it is on the part of right-wing anti-vaxxers, and I don't believe we should have to keep up precautions because of it. Time to protect yourself or live with a higher risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure DC will be among the last to drop so I’m not holding my breath. At most, I think we might see dropping it for outdoor activities / drop off/ pick up as that’s really just COVID theatre.

I've not worn a mask at drop off or pickup in months, and no one seems to care. I'm not the only one, either.

You're a rebel and inconsiderate. It's all about you and how inconvenient wearing a mask is for you but never thinking of others.

PP here. Whether I wear a mask or not outside at pickup and drop off has zero impact on anyone else. It's not like I'm sharing an elevator maskless or something like that.

This. Masks outside are pure theater. I still wear one at pickup, even though I otherwise have never masked outdoors, because I would literally be the only one unmasked at our school. But unlike a lot of other parents, I take it off as soon as I start leaving the school grounds and am not near anyone anymore.

Sometimes you just need to start a trend. Remember how it was last spring and early summer? People in DC were laughably reluctant to take off their masks, largely because others had them on. It's a positive social feedback loop that needs to be broken.

Yeah, last spring, after we got vaccinated, I was one of those who tried to start that trend. I think I will take it up again as we get further beyond Omicron and people's anxiety wanes.