On July 21, 2021, Williamson County Schools released their Health and Wellness Guidelines for the 2021-2022 school year. For the vast majority of the Williamson County Schools parents and children, the guidelines were received very well. They are logical, focus on local data in our community and schools, and put our children and their parents first by allowing them choices on how to approach the school year.  

One aspect of the guidelines is that "masks for students, staff and visitors are not required but are encouraged for those who would prefer to use one". While this policy makes sense and empowers children and parents, there is a vocal minority in the WCS community that is pressuring the district to overturn this guidance and issue a mask mandate based on recently changed CDC guidelines. The sudden, repeated reversals of major guidelines from the CDC throughout the pandemic have eroded public trust and we applaud WCS for committing to using local school data and health information and not falling in line with an oftentimes political national narrative. Some children struggle to learn or socialize while wearing masks and it is not fair to require them to do so. Our teachers and students are ready to choose for themselves whether or not they will wear masks. 

 The WCS plan empowers parents and children to make the choice on masks that makes the most sense for the individual and their specific needs.

This petition is designed to show WCS administration that the vast majority of the WCS community supports keeping masks optional. WCS should stick to these guidelines that they have made. We also encourage WCS to let children experience the important social aspects of school such as lunch in cafeterias, specials in the actual classrooms, and free-play recess allowing interaction between kids in different classes. The children, teachers, and parents of WCS deserve the opportunity to choose. Thank you WCS for allowing us to choose and please do not give in to the outside pressure to reverse course!

NOTE: This petition is NOT addressing the efficacy of masks and is NOT claiming that masks do not work. It is not denying that Covid exists in our community. It is designed solely to show the WCS administration how much the community supports their planned guidelines and how appreciative the community is of being offered a choice.