For the 2021-2022 school year, masks should be OPTIONAL for all students K-12. We need to continue to allow parents to make decisions they feel are best for their families. 

Recently the CDC has, again, made recommendations for wearing masks.  However, the CDC statistical support is inclusive of ALL ages.  When we are evaluating the necessity of masks for children in school it is important to evaluate scientific and factual information around school age children and not get confused with how Covid is impacting the older population. 

As of 7/1/21 the MDH reported that the Covid survival rate is 99.99% to 100% for 0-19 years of age.  This number is so encouraging for our school age children! The MDH website does not separate out hospitalizations based on age.  However, the American Academy of Pediatrics has reported fewer than 2 percent and possibly as few as 1 percent of children who contracted Covid-19 had to be hospitalized nationally. 

Source: https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-state-level-data-report/

We also need to consider other factors:

·         The mental fatigue placed on our children to wear a mask all day

·         The hardship it causes for young children learning to read

·         The difficulties it causes for children with hearing and speech challenges

·         The loss of connection with teachers and friends by not being able to see facial expressions

·         The anxiety and other mental trauma showing up this year in significantly higher numbers than previous years

In February a German study was published showing the impact of wearing a mask on children.  Of note, there are few if any other studies done on this important topic.  In this study 25,930 children participated.  The results showed:

·         68% of respondents reported children complained about impairments of wearing the mask.

·         60% reported irritability

·         53% reported headache

·         50% reported difficulty concentrating

·         49% reported less happiness

·         44% reported reluctance to go to school/kindergarten

·         42% reported malaise

·         38% reported impaired learning

·         37% reported drowsiness/fatigue

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33642617/

There is no reason to put our children through this and we should NOT be forced to.

By signing this petition, we are boldly proclaiming that we DO NOT SUPPORT mask mandates in our schools.