We, the people of the community, would like for you to implement a mask mandate for all staff and students at Carroll County schools in accordance with the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations. As per your written policy on infectious disease revised last on 3/21/19 prior to the Covid pandemic, you must inform, educate, or train staff on infectious disease based on the guidelines or recommendations by the CDC. However it does not say that you will follow such guidelines or recommendations as written. 

We insist that the policy be revised, yet again, to accommodate for the covid-19 pandemic by including not only informing, educating, or training but also implementing those guidelines and recommendations as written by the CDC. 

We do understand the concern of parents wanting to keep things as normal as possible for their children. We also understand that students tend to be more successful in a school environment and that many children rely on school for healthy meals and a safe place to go while their parent(s) are at work. While wearing masks is not our vision of normal, it is necessary to keep all other things as normal as possible in the school setting. Wearing masks lowers the rate of transmission of covid-19 thus lowering the the probability of other abnormal situations occurring during this pandemic such as the quarantine of schools, classrooms, students, and staff. 

With those under 12 years old and a large majority of the 12 and older population still unvaccinated, a mask mandate is our next best option to lower the rate of transmission. Otherwise infection rates will continue to rise almong school age children and school staff. We believe that it is in the best interest of all students to have the opportunity for education in a classroom setting, however, without this mandate, hybrid and distant learning will become inevitable and we will continue to get further away from our wishes for our kids to be educated in a normal classroom environment. We will get through this pandemic as one strong community and it is going to take time and cooperation to get there.