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On March 12, California will lift the mask mandate for schools, raising another rageful debate over a piece of fabric.
Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, the use of masks, especially in the state of California, has become political. But what is political about wearing something that not only protects me but others around me?
The state of California should focus its priority on protecting its students instead of meeting their political agenda by keeping the mask mandate.
When the world shut down on March 11, 2020, mankind sought help from anywhere, answers to what this disease was and how it affected us. We were confined to our homes, as essential workers used all necessary precautions to keep working safely. As we began going out, masks mandates began a necessity to maintain safety, but it quickly became political. Now you were either a Democrat if you wore one and a Republican if you did not. The Republican party, especially, advocated that the mask mandate was an attack on our “freedom”. This statement, however, is an ignorant view. Yet again we as Americans are divided by our political views instead of being united in times of distress. The use of masks is not an attack on your freedom “Karens,” it is an essential aspect that keeps our country safe, but recent events make another surge in Covid imminent.
Now, with our society running back up normally, it seems as if some Americans forgot that we are still in a global pandemic. Although efforts to implement mask mandates in the streets are in vain, California was doing an excellent job mandating schools to keep mask mandates. These mandates, surprise surprise, worked! The Los Angeles Times reported that when maskless policy districts switched to mask mandates, their infection rate and Covid Cases decreased significantly. Districts with mandates had a 23% lower incidence of Covid cases reported. Yet, these concrete facts are ignored because parents think our “freedom” is being attacked.
Inside the Glen A. Wilson campus students alike have started to become worried about what March 12, 2022, will entitle to.
Marlen Morales (12) shares her views on the mask mandate being lifted.
“Personally, I don’t feel completely safe due to the fact that people could have had contact with Covid but will come to school unmasked.” Morales said.“With the mandate being lifted, people will now feel entitled to come to school if they have symptoms. People still believe that the pandemic wasn’t real, that the mandate was set to “limit” Americans, not to protect them.”
Another student who chose to remain anonymous also shares concerning views.
“I feel like people will become more reckless because since the mask mandate is being lifted, people will think that coming to school sick is ok. I think things have become more political by correlating wearing a mask to different political parties when instead the main focus should be on ensuring the safety of yourself and others around you,” they said.
Politics is not science, your views on the government should not defer the facts that health organizations provide for us to keep us safe. March 12 should not be about whether the mighty hands of the republicans finally got rid of masks, but rather a step towards full normality again.