The upcoming 2021-2022 school year masks should be optional. We have lived with masks long enough and now is the time for parents to have a choice! Being able to see faces and mouths is important for social-emotional development, language learning and even speech therapy. Many of our children have spent the entire summer free of masks and should be able to continue to do so if they and their families choose to this coming school year.  

Last year we did not know the death rate and recovery rate of Covid, we did not know many things, so of course it was best to proceed with caution. But we know a lot more now. We know that the recovery rate from Covid is between 98% and 99% and we know that roughly 70% of all New Yorkers are vaccinated, which leads to lower rates of transmission in communities. Knowing all of this and that adults have the option to wear masks or not in most situations, our children should also have this right.

If you want to wear a mask and have your children wear a mask that is your right but if you do not want to have your child in a mask for 6+ hours, knowing what we know now about Covid, then that should be your right as well.

We need to get back to making these choices for ourselves and be able to decide what is best for our families. Please sign our petition to show that the Binghamton and Broome County community implores The Binghamton City School Board and the Catholic Schools of Broome County to make masks optional this coming 2021-2022 school year!.  Thank you!