Let parents decide whether to mask their children in Dublin City Schools

It is common knowledge that children are not significant vectors in spreading coronavirus throughout the population.  The last 18 months have proven, unequivocally, that the vast majority of children have an extremely low risk of experiencing severe symptoms if they do contract the coronavirus. The mortality rate in children is statistically insignificant, less than 0.00%.  Most importantly, every teacher, administrative professional, paraprofessional, and support staff member in the Dublin City School District has had the opportunity to receive the vaccine if they so choose.  At this juncture, there remains NO SCIENTIFIC BASIS to continue to require children to wear face masks in school.  

Extended mask wearing subjects children to irritability, headache, difficulty concentrating, impaired learning, and fatigue.  Children risk elevated CO2 levels and hypoxia while at recess.  GIVE HEALTHCARE DECISIONMAKING BACK TO PARENTS.  If you, as a parent, are afraid of sending your child to school without a mask, then make your child wear a mask.  If you, as a parent, are afraid of sending your child to school where they will be around other children without masks, then enroll your child in the remote learning academy which has been provided to you as an option.  Do not make all children suffer due to the irrational fears of a select few parents.  Forcing our children to wear masks does not make us more virtuous; it does not make us more caring; and it certainly does not make us safer.  We are teaching that blind conformity is more important than inquisitiveness and we are stifling individuality.  Parents need to unite to take back our children's healthcare decisionmaking and to take back our children's childhoods.

Julia Fix    Contact the author of the petition