Wearing masks in schools has been the latest political issue parents and politicians are arguing over. Some parents and politicians feel it is an infringement on their child’s rights if they are required to wear a mask in school. Others feel wearing a mask is an easy and effective way to help prevent the spread of Covid 19. The issue of wearing masks at school, which once seemed to be a local issue, has now been making headlines all over the news and all across the country.

Wearing masks seems like common sense. A deadly pandemic that has taken millions of lives all across the globe would seem like a big enough deal that people would want to wear masks to help stop the spread of the virus. Yet, parents and politicians are still fighting tooth and nail over mask mandates in school. Masks in school are a good common sense idea. 

Students in elementary schools have not been vaccinated. Some students in middle and high schools have not been vaccinated. Yet parents and politicians still do not care. They say it is an infringement on their First Amendment rights that their children be required to wear masks in school. Well I’m here to tell you it’s not.

Wearing masks in schools has been scientifically proven to help limit the spread of Covid 19. Sure, there should be some exceptions. Students should be allowed to pull their masks down if they need to have a sip of water in class or if they are not in heavily populated areas throughout the school building. Personally I have never minded when a mask is on, and although sometimes annoying, they relatively do not make a difference or cause any issues or distraction when learning. 

Parents and politicians say their children should not have to wear masks because it is an infringement on their First Amendment right. How is it possibly true? Is it an infringement that by wearing masks their child and other children are preventing the spread of a virus that has taken the lives of so many? Is it an infringement that by wearing a mask their child is helping to protect those most vulnerable in the school? Is it an infringement that by having students wear masks in schools, especially  those in elementary school who are unvaccinated,  they are significantly lowering the risk of contracting covid 19 ? The first amendment protects freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion but wearing masks does not fall under any of those areas. 

Everybody has the right to choose what they will and will not do, but in as strange a time as we are in, sometimes making decisions for the good of all involved have to come before a group of parents’ and politicians’ personal choices.

Hopefully, like most issues today, people move on and find another issue to get upset about, because wearing masks in school is going to be required whether you agree with it or not.