Francis Howell School District has changed their policy to have masks be optional during the 2021-2022 school year. There has been whispers of the idea that they may change this back to mandatory. This is a petition to keep this policy in place and NOT to change it. The following are sound reasons why to consider keeping this current policy in place.

1. Children as young as Kindergartners struggle to keep their hands clean anyway, a mask is forcing them to touch their faces more often, making them virtually ineffective. In a Danish study they found that masks are basically ineffective. See citation [f]. 

2. Daycares have remained open and continue to care for children for families who cannot stay home from work. Many reviews of daycares have proven that children's transmission is not very likely. See citation [a] for a recent article on this.

3. Important social interactions are now being lost. Children do not get to connect with smiles and other very important body languages. It literally is like a "mask" limiting this experience.

4. Lung health has been a very big consideration. Some adults have collapsed their lungs being active when wearing a mask. If that's the case, what do we think this is doing to our children's development? See citation [d]. On this topic, Germany a study has been done that shows general side effects of masks. See citation [e].

5. Other studies when comparing the US to a country like Sweden, which did not close any stores, did not close any schools but cared for the people considered 'high risk' (i.e. the elderly or people with underlying conditions). They found that their death rate per population is LESS than the US as of 7/28/21.

There are many risks in our lives, sometimes we over correct and try to take the safer route when it turns out to be more dangerous. I believe this is not a good decision and it does not seem warranted based on the points above. Life has choices and risks all around us, and we take on many risks without knowing it (driving cars, swimming, walking in the street, etc.). This is really not much different. Due to the highly publicized nature, it has more hype than that of other issues in our lives and therefore blown out of proportion. 

Citations

[a] "Considering the number of kids at child-care centers in the U.S., the number of coronavirus outbreaks they’ve reported is low. Research to date suggests that children rarely get sick with COVID-19, and those under 10 aren’t very efficient at transmitting the disease to older family members." - https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-08-04/child-care-has-been-safe-during-the-pandemic-that-could-be-a-good-sign-for-schools

[b] https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[c] https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-h1n1-pandemic.html

[d] https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/how-lungs-work/lung-capacity-and-aging#:~:text=Your lungs mature by the difficult as you get older.

[e] https://undercurrents723949620.wordpress.com/2021/07/16/masks-cause-shortness-of-breath-dizziness-headaches-irritability-fatigue-etc/

[f] https://fee.org/articles/new-danish-study-finds-masks-don-t-protect-wearers-from-covid-infection/