We went from 14 days to flatten the curve to school shut-downs to mask mandates. Without a doubt, this pandemic has been difficult for everyone, and children have suffered.
Parents have fundamental rights and should never lose those God-given rights unless there is due process. In other words, parents do not give up their fundamental rights when their children walk into a public school.
So why is there so much debate on mask mandates? Shouldn’t this be a decision made by parents? Who is better equipped to make these decisions than parents? A handful of board members? A school administrator? Who decided that these people, who may be strangers to the family, are the best people to decide what is best for your child?
I am not questioning the good intentions of people serving in your local school district. They may be coming from a good place, but you didn’t give up your parental rights to these people. There is debate in the medical community on the effectiveness of masking children in school.
Shouldn’t the default be the parents in situations like these? Parents know if someone in the home is immune-compromised. They also know if their child is struggling with wearing a mask all day long. The people who deemed themselves the final arbitrator have no idea about your personal circumstances.
Parents discuss these issues with their family doctors. They weigh that advice based on their personal situation in the home. None of these discussions by school administrators or board members involve personal interviews with each family in the district. Why are they treating this as a “one size fits all” when voting for mask mandates?
As a parental rights advocate, I support parents who want their children masked and those who do not. I support parents who want the vaccine for their children and those who do not. I want parents equipped with the best information available to them so they can make these difficult decisions. Maybe that’s how school districts can support parents. Look for the best and unbiased information available and share that with parents. If they want to be helpful, then be helpful. But no one has signed over their authority to the local school district.
Be helpful but do not overstep your boundaries. These are good parents who want the best for their children–they are not neglectful or abusive parents. You should be thanking them for caring this much for their children that they are willing to voice their views and exercise their rights.
We do have parents who are neglectful and who are abusive. That’s a national tragedy. Do not treat good parents as if they are in this category and have no right to make these decisions for their children. They do not deserve it.
It’s simple, let parents choose whether their child should wear a mask to school or not.
