We the people of Oak Grove need your help in ending our schools mask mandate. Parents, staff and our community share this opinion. one full year of this pandemic we have learned that children are NOT the main spreaders of COVID-19. They do NOT transmit it and they do NOT get sick from it. Schools in other states/cities have dropped mask mandates without any issues. Schools in other countries NEVER had mask mandates and there were no significant rise in cases among children or staff. 

Children are being physically and emotionally harmed due to these mask mandates. Physically, masks are extremely unhygienic. Kids are constantly touching their faces to adjust their masks, which is actually causing MORE germs to be spread! In addition, kids are developing headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, etc. due to the restricted oxygen flow while wearing masks all day. It is extremely difficult for most adults to wear them for just a few minutes to go into a store, yet we expect our kids to wear them for 7+ hours per day. This is unconscionable! Furthermore, emotionally, it is causing significant trauma. Childhood is a crucial time to develop friendships by socializing and interacting with their peers. When wearing a mask, they lose the ability to see facial expressions which plays a critical role in socialization.  Kids need to see smiles again.

By mandating masks, we are also teaching children to be fearful of each other. This will undoubtedly cause long-term negative psychological impacts. Research shows childhood depression and suicide have risen dramatically this past year due to lack of socialization. Masks are causing much more harm in our kids than benefits! 

Forcing children to wear masks is nothing short of physical and emotional CHILD ABUSE! Parents should be the only ones to decide what is best for their kids, not the government or school officials!

It’s time for our kids to be kids again. END MASK MANDATES IN OUR SCHOOL IMMEDIATELY!