Saint Clair County children have experienced some of the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. After more than a year’s worth of data and science, we know that children are THE LEAST at risk for Covid and have a survival rate of over 99.9%. Pediatric mental health issues and substance abuse have increased significantly. Our children have sacrificed a year and a half of quality education and experiences to protect others in our community that have the greatest risk of COVID-19.

OUR CHILDREN HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR EDUCATION, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH FOR 17 MONTHS . OUR CHILDREN MATTER! IT IS TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND PUT THEM FIRST. 

Those that are at the greatest risk of Covid-19 in our community have the ability to get vaccinated, test and to mask as necessary to protect themselves. Our children at school pose A STATISTICALLY ZERO RISK . It's time to allow our children to have a normal school experience again.

We are a BIPARTISAN group of Saint Clair County Parents, Educators and Community Leaders united together to ensure EVERY FAMILY HAS A CHOICE. Medical and health decisions are PARENTAL RIGHTS,  not to be decided by government officials, unelected bureaucrats, or school board members. Parents should decide what is best for their children and family situation. Some families choose to vaccinate or mask and WE SUPPORT THAT. Some families choose to not vaccinate or mask, and WE SUPPORT THAT TOO. 

We believe the government or public entities have no right to impose medical-related mandates (masks, vaccines, testing, excessive quarantines, etc...) on HEALTHY children. Parents, not politicians and public officials, should be the ones to assess risks for their family and decide how to protect the physical, emotional, developmental and academic well-being of their children. The county cannot make mandates for all because for some it can be contraindicated. Some children are put at greater risk by these potential mandates than the risk of ever contracting Covid-19. Think about children that have special needs, respiratory/breathing related disorders, anxiety or other conditions exacerbated by these potential mandates. 

We also believe no child should be discriminated against or experience unequal opportunities or treatment in schools, sports, clubs and/or activities based on parental choices regarding masks, testing or vaccinations.

As the 2021-2022 school year approaches, a large number of school districts have chosen to make masks optional for students and staff. We APPLAUD THEM for their leadership, recognizing that safety looks different to each individual family and that COVID-19 is not the only thing our children need to be protected from.

We cannot afford to allow Saint Clair County children to continue sacrificing their mental health, social emotional health, academic well being or physical health for a one size fits all solution that is designed to protect them from only one thing. We call upon county health officials to REFRAIN FROM ISSUING pubic health orders that compel school districts to require masks inside school facilities, during outdoor athletics and extracurricular activities that involve close contact. We also implore officials to REFRAIN from ordering children without symptoms to undergo Covid-19 testing. Such an order would be in opposition to The Revised School Code - Act 451 of 1976 - Section 380.10 Rights of parents and legal guardians; duties of public schools. Doing so would open the door for districts to spend needless taxpayer dollars defending lawsuits when they would rather be focusing those dollars on improving the schools.