Second to vaccines, masks are the best tool we have for keeping Covid-19 and its variants at bay in our schools - especially considering children under age 12 cannot yet be vaccinated. Right now, the CDC, Indiana Dept. of Health, American Academy of Pediatrics, and countless, credible doctors and scientists strongly urge for universal masking (everyone wears masks) in our schools. Making masks optional or only "recommended" in Avon Community Schools cannot work, as it takes everyone wearing a mask to stop the spread.

First and foremost our kids deserve a safe school environment. Universal masking is proven to be effective and harmless to the wearer, despite what the latest debunked YouTube video might say. Our community cannot wait until things get so bad that government officials have to step in. We cannot wait until our hospitals are at their breaking point and respirators are not available. We cannot wait until so many children and staff are in quarantine that in-person learning becomes impossible. 

If you wait for the first shoe to drop, thousands of the children you serve will suffer - from countless school days missed, short or long-term illnesses, or worse - the loss of a loved one or with their own lives. 

Please meet now - not until the next school board meeting - and vote for universal masking in Avon Community Schools.