My keep masks pitch to DCPS

 I want to say I am over masks, I do not want to wear them any longer, and I definitely do not want to fight with that one kid every day to keep their mask on correctly. It wasn't easy keeping my mask on while teaching, and I have done the latter, and it was no fun. That being said, if it would keep them and me and my family safer, I am more than willing to do so. 

By now, we all know that the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics have both said all staff and students should wear masks in the hot zone, and sadly, there are fewer places hotter than Jacksonville. The fact that we are having a debate whether to listen to them or the Governor who has been called out for spreading misinformation and even had videos taken down off of youtube is crazy to me. I don't believe this is about freedom, but instead, it is about dividing us and ginning up his base. In short, it's not about health; it's about politics and. I think I can prove so as well. 

Look at these two screengrabs from House member Randy Fine. In one, he itches for a special session to outlaw masks, and in the other, he tells a parent he can help find them a voucher school that requires masks. The hypocrisy is stunning, and the message, do all we can to injure public education, is clear. 

As for freedom, is requiring masks any more inconvenient than requiring seatbelts, outlawing smoking in public, or a thousand other things that we cannot do because it keeps society safer? I don't think so. Yet somehow this became an issue and during a pandemic to boot. 

Then there is the executive order. First, there is a lack of consensus that it is even legal.

Regardless DCPS and numerous school boards have taken the state to court from time to time when they thought it was warranted, and with the health of staff and students on the line, I would argue there is no better time or reason. Then I think school boards should always challenge executive orders. Letting them go unchallenged erodes the authority of local school boards, which, as we all know, have been greatly eroded over the years. If boards had been more aggressive in the past, we probably wouldn't be where we are now. Then a question I always ask is, where and when does it stop? Well, I think randy Fine answered that question above.     

Finally, I wanted to say where there was a lot to be disappointed with the superintendent's email to staff, saying they will be required to wear masks, one of the things that stood out was the usurpation of the school board's authority. I watched your last meeting online, which finished with Mrs. Andersen saying that you would make the decision next week after more consultation. Greene's email effectively rendered you irrelevant if you let it stand. The other thing was when she said if it were up to her, kids would wear masks. If you felt kids would be safer by wearing masks, aren't you obligated, regardless of the EO, to do all you can to make sure that happens? The superintendent obviously doesn't feel that way, but I hope that you do.