Reply to Call to Action: Help create a safe learning environment for medically fragile students

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Reply to "Call to Action: Help create a safe learning environment for medically fragile students"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I know this sounds horrible but I would be devastated and not really onboard if I were asked to mask my kindergartener. 5 year olds don't mask very well, it would be super distracting for the teacher to enforce, and this age is such a critical time in kids' social development. We had a really bad experience with masking our child when she was 2. She is older now but has been through a lot. [/quote]

It really is a critical time for their social development. Imagine if you were in OP’s shoes and had to hear so many people telling you that the best solution is to keep an “eager student” at home.

And at the same time - isn’t empathy and compassion an important part of social development? Kids want to help others, and they understand more than we give them credit for. If it’s approached as “here is this thing we can do to protect a friend in our community” and they make it part of the daily routine and make it fun with little songs, etc, like we do with hand washing and listening, it could work and not be traumatic. [/quote]

That doesn't change the fact that masks obscure people's faces and studies have clearly shown that affects children's ability to interpret emotions.

I sympathize with OP and her child. I think it's a really tough situation. But other people's children matter too, so there needs to be a very clear, dramatic  benefit to masking 5 year olds. Compassion and empathy extend to everyone. I am not convinced there is one.[/quote]

There are studies showing that kids learn fine with masks. Brains are plastic and plasticity is highest at younger ages. How do you suppose blind people learn to speak and socialize?

And kids are generally awesome. If you asked your kid if they would mind wearing a mask at school *to protect a vulnerable classmate* so that classmate could also be at school to learn and play with them, what do you think he might say?

I’m stuck by the comment that “compassion and empathy extend to everyone.” Does it? Or only to those who don’t need anything? Compassion literally means “to suffer together.” I imagine OP’s kiddo doesn’t t like masking either, but it sounds like it’s necessary for her safe access to society right now.

I would happily ask my kid to mask in a classroom with OP’s kid. I would enjoy the reduced illnesses and relish the opportunity to show my kid what love and compassion really look like.

If you don’t share that perspective, then ok, but why try to shut it down for them? Why not just ask for your kid to be in a different classroom?

I will send an email expressing support for better avenues to bring vulnerable kids in-person. [/quote]

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