We are a group of parents who feel the requirement to wear masks for the 2021-22 school year at Ruffing should be optional. We are humbly requesting you read this rationale and implore you to join us in our request to Kathie Freer and the board of Ruffing.

We do not feel this is a political issue, but rather, a personal/family choice that should not be mandated. Unfortunately, political and economic forces have influenced our leaders to make choices that impact our daily lives, but which are unnecessary and hold little value.

Here is our rationale:

1. The state of Ohio is no longer is mandating masks and has no intention to change this policy.

2. NE Ohio public schools are not requiring masks.

3. Masks increase Carbon dioxide levels in the body. A recent study on pediatrics in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows this, albeit was retracted, according to the author, for political reasons.

4. Masks are actually causing HARM to our children, as they interfere with normal human communication and empathy; making emotional reading of facial expressions more difficult and bewildering, especially for the younger children.

5. Children are not dying from Covid, nor are they transmitting the Sars COV-2 virus to adults.

Children are being physically and emotionally harmed due to these mask mandates. 

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. Furthermore, emotionally, it is causing significant trauma. Childhood is a crucial time to develop friendships through 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! 

Parents should be the only ones to decide what is best for their kids, not the government or school officials! It should be the decision of every parent and child whether they feel a mask is needed.

It’s time for our kids to be kids again.

Let's make masks VOLUNTARY, allowing the autonomy of each individual family to choose what is right for each child.

If you agree, please add your name here!