Charters: When is yours dropping the outdoor mask mandate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So has any school heard anything about adopting DC health updated guidance?

Lee just sent a poll to parents. The framing of the choice and language in the email does not have me very optimistic for anything aside from outdoor removal of masks.

PP- will note that even if I disagree with whatever their decision is, the communications and asking for parental input is very commendable and appreciated. I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be to have radio silence

The voting is an absolute joke. I'd hope Chris and leadership take it as a pulse, and then just follow CDC.

That’s worse. Why solicit parent feedback to just follow CDC? This should not be put to a poll/vote. Lift the mandate, and anyone who wants to voluntarily continue to mask can.

[Anonymous]

I am not really in favor of a vote though I am in favor of masking.

I really want someone who is so anti-mask to please answer this though:

How do you only see this as an issue of personal choice when the whole issue is that one person's choices can have huge effects on another person's health?

I feel like it is so damn disingenuous to act like everyone is in a vacuum and that their choice doesn't impact those around them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not really in favor of a vote though I am in favor of masking.

I really want someone who is so anti-mask to please answer this though:

How do you only see this as an issue of personal choice when the whole issue is that one person's choices can have huge effects on another person's health?

I feel like it is so damn disingenuous to act like everyone is in a vacuum and that their choice doesn't impact those around them.

Our choices constantly affect those around us in a multitude of ways, most of which we don't create mandates around. Between vaccines and wearing a well-fitted mask yourself, you have the tools to manage your own health. Low-quality outdoor masking of others in the context of very low rates of COVID is just a terrible intervention. It doesn't pass any kind of reasonable risk analysis. It's not keeping you safe.

Indoor masking is potentially somewhat better, but the evidence has been very shaky. And even if there's a moderate effect on spread, in a context where COVID rates are this low, the overall effect is still very minimal.

I don't think we should keep doing this because to some people it signals care. If schools are concerned that this will freak out parents, they can explain what public health agencies are saying and why.

[Anonymous]

Add to that that there are negative consequences of mask-wearing for children. Risks and benefits have to be weighed accordingly. The US is one of few countries to mask children at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not really in favor of a vote though I am in favor of masking.

I really want someone who is so anti-mask to please answer this though:

How do you only see this as an issue of personal choice when the whole issue is that one person's choices can have huge effects on another person's health?

I feel like it is so damn disingenuous to act like everyone is in a vacuum and that their choice doesn't impact those around them.

Our choices constantly affect those around us in a multitude of ways, most of which we don't create mandates around. Between vaccines and wearing a well-fitted mask yourself, you have the tools to manage your own health. Low-quality outdoor masking of others in the context of very low rates of COVID is just a terrible intervention. It doesn't pass any kind of reasonable risk analysis. It's not keeping you safe.

Indoor masking is potentially somewhat better, but the evidence has been very shaky. And even if there's a moderate effect on spread, in a context where COVID rates are this low, the overall effect is still very minimal.

I don't think we should keep doing this because to some people it signals care. If schools are concerned that this will freak out parents, they can explain what public health agencies are saying and why.

Agree with all of this and will add that when I pick up my three year old I look around at his classmates and the masking at that age is in no way offering much protection; masks are down around noses, wet, almost all cloth, etc. Given the low incidence in our community and school + the very questionable level of protection the masks provide, I think the downsides for kids his age are higher for 99.9%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not really in favor of a vote though I am in favor of masking.

I really want someone who is so anti-mask to please answer this though:

How do you only see this as an issue of personal choice when the whole issue is that one person's choices can have huge effects on another person's health?

I feel like it is so damn disingenuous to act like everyone is in a vacuum and that their choice doesn't impact those around them.

I think this is exactly why we need strong public health agencies to issue clear guidance that everyone then follows.

For the past almost two years, it did make sense to mandate individuals give up personal choice and follow masking, social distancing, and other guidelines. But, now it makes sense to revisit those requirements. We aren't going to return to pre-Covid times and like flu and other illnesses that are very dangerous for some people but not the vast majority of others the burden shifts back to individuals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not really in favor of a vote though I am in favor of masking.

I really want someone who is so anti-mask to please answer this though:

How do you only see this as an issue of personal choice when the whole issue is that one person's choices can have huge effects on another person's health?

I feel like it is so damn disingenuous to act like everyone is in a vacuum and that their choice doesn't impact those around them.

What 21:12 said

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not really in favor of a vote though I am in favor of masking.

I really want someone who is so anti-mask to please answer this though:

How do you only see this as an issue of personal choice when the whole issue is that one person's choices can have huge effects on another person's health?

I feel like it is so damn disingenuous to act like everyone is in a vacuum and that their choice doesn't impact those around them.

There is evidence that forced masking has no effect in schools.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4046809

FCM mandates in schools were not associated with lower SARS-CoV-2 incidence or
transmission, suggesting that this intervention was not effective. Instead, age-dependency was
the most important factor in explaining the transmission risk for children attending school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

FCM mandates in schools were not associated with lower SARS-CoV-2 incidence or
transmission, suggesting that this intervention was not effective. Instead, age-dependency was
the most important factor in explaining the transmission risk for children attending school.

Other research (see CDC papers: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0924-school-masking.html) suggests it was helpful. We'll never have good randomized controlled trials to test this and statistical controls just can't take into account all the 3rd variables.

Doesn't matter. Current context matters and current risk/reward is what should be taken into account.

[Anonymous]

Our charter is dropping it this coming week thank goodness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our charter is dropping it this coming week thank goodness.

Would you mind sharing which one? Is this outside only or also inside optional? I am guessing you don't have a health check or 10 day quarantine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So has any school heard anything about adopting DC health updated guidance?

Lee just sent a poll to parents. The framing of the choice and language in the email does not have me very optimistic for anything aside from outdoor removal of masks.

PP- will note that even if I disagree with whatever their decision is, the communications and asking for parental input is very commendable and appreciated. I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be to have radio silence

No. You absolutely do not want measurements, that are supposed to be guided by science, to be voted upon by parents.

+100. It's stupid to take parent input. These leaders need to lead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not really in favor of a vote though I am in favor of masking.

I really want someone who is so anti-mask to please answer this though:

How do you only see this as an issue of personal choice when the whole issue is that one person's choices can have huge effects on another person's health?

I feel like it is so damn disingenuous to act like everyone is in a vacuum and that their choice doesn't impact those around them.

What 21:12 said

Yup. We got Youngkin elected and Texas to prohibit el aborto. Time to take on CRT and masks in DC!

The people who support ending masking in DC are mostly Democrats and liberals, because that's who lives here. These are people who largely share your values and politics. Smearing a belief that's both increasingly mainstream and also in-line with public health guidance is a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So has any school heard anything about adopting DC health updated guidance?

Lee just sent a poll to parents. The framing of the choice and language in the email does not have me very optimistic for anything aside from outdoor removal of masks.

PP- will note that even if I disagree with whatever their decision is, the communications and asking for parental input is very commendable and appreciated. I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be to have radio silence

No. You absolutely do not want measurements, that are supposed to be guided by science, to be voted upon by parents.

+100. It's stupid to take parent input. These leaders need to lead.

Agreed, though in some ways they barely even need to do that. They'd just be joining most of the rest of the country and the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our charter is dropping it this coming week thank goodness.

Would you mind sharing which one? Is this outside only or also inside optional? I am guessing you don't have a health check or 10 day quarantine.

Also curious.