This petition is to advocate for the health and well being of our children. The Westside Community Schools Board and Administration need to make masks OPTIONAL for our children effective IMMEDIATELY. 

Our children have been masked for an entire school year and complied with every COVID protocol the district has had in place. Our children have done MORE than enough to comply and it’s time for them to be children again.  Nevertheless, a mandate made by a school district and NOT mandated by any legal entity or government whatsoever. There is no executive order requiring masks, no city mandate requiring masks, in fact our own Omaha City Council is opposed to mask mandates.  

Westside Community Schools is on the wrong end of this decision and the majority of  Omaha-area schools are correct in stating that mask wearing should be OPTIONAL.  The studies on the harmful effects that masks have had on our children physically, emotionally and behaviorally should be enough to make mask optional.  The ultimate decision needs to lie between the parents and students, not the school district or administration.

It is our duty as parents of students at Westside Community Schools to protect the health and well being of our children. Again, we ask Westside Community Schools to make mask OPTIONAL effective immediately.

Please read the data below that supports OPTIONAL masks moving forward and the overwhelming growing evidence of long term harm in masking children. 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/masks-children-parenting-schools-mandates-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic-biden-administration-cdc-11628432716

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/maskin-children-tragic-unscientific-and-damaging/

https://montanadailygazette.com/2021/01/25/new-study-finds-masks-hurt-schoolchildren-physically-psychologically-and-behaviorally/