In Hillsborough County, on August 18th, the public-school board held a meeting resulting in the mandate of masks for the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. According to discussions at the meeting, the masks were brought back due to medical concerns from parents, students, and teachers. The mandate was put into effect on August 19th and scheduled to be lifted on September 17th.
“The mask mandate will absolutely last longer than one month,” said Sophomore Jillian Towe. “I think it will stay until the government figures out the best options for vaccines and social distancing.”
While many students remain curious and reserved about the mask mandate, others share their opinions and reasonings.
“I believe masks should be optional,” shares active student Sarah Trayser. “If you are vaccinated, you shouldn’t have to wear them at all (unless you want to). If you’re not vaccinated, it should be up to you because you’re putting yourself at risk by not wearing it.”
Research shows masks block most airborne bacteria from infecting people such as the respiratory disease, COVID-19. The officials’ goals are validated by their desire to protect the student’s health; however, the children share an additional view on the matter.
“The masks make me feel safer,” says Freshman Noah Fowler. “However, they’re not very effective because no one really wears them.”
Many students agree that the masks remain minimally effective at school. Students express their views on the cons of the mandate including the lack of pupils following the rule in the first place.
“Honestly, the majority of students wear a small cloth mask improperly on their face,” Towe shares, “The masks are not going to be effective in the way the government wants as no one wears the thicker, heavy-duty masks. Because of that, masks are not doing much to contain the spread of COVID-19.”
Students complain daily about the masks along with parents, teachers, and faculty. Towe shares her opinion concerning yet another largely debated topic among the students: breathing.
“If it calms the county for me to wear a mask to school, then I will because it’s really not that bad and you can still breathe, although it does get difficult to hear others speak.”
The public board of education in Hillsborough often brings up the numbers coordinated with at home learners from the previous school year when families were provided the option to choose their learning experience. While the numbers were shockingly high, these students chose to return to learning in person this year with the knowledge of the mild dangers of COVID-19.
“The masks are pointless, and no one follows the mandate anyway,” states returning Junior Bella Drouet. “Participating in eLearning all the 2020-21 school year in order to avoid the hazards of COVID-19. Bella returned to in person school for the 2021-22 academic year and says it benefits her so much more to socialize with classmates and not be holed up in a house.
While the county says they surveyed students and parents, the parents’ opinions were never revealed. Carrie Towe, parent of Jillian Towe, expresses her view on the mandate that affects her three daughters in Hillsborough County Schools.
“The masks don’t make me anymore comfortable sending my kids to school,” said Carrie Towe. “I think masks should be our choice. I don’t think the government should be able to mandate mask wearing. Individual companies yes, but the government, no.”
Liv Pages // Co-opinion Editor
