On August 24, Rangeley’s school board will decide whether to require students to wear masks this fall. Regardless of the vote, our kids will be wearing them. In case they are in the minority, we thought we’d explain why.
We see this as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our sons to be part of something larger than themselves – ending a global pandemic. It’s an opportunity for them to practice putting others’ needs before their own and feel pride in setting aside their personal comfort to potentially save lives.
Like many others in Rangeley, we gained these valuable experiences as adults – Brian through 20 years in the military and Kate through public service. That our sons have the opportunity to gain them in elementary school is an unexpected silver lining of this tiresome situation.
If masks aren’t mandated, and not widely worn, it may also be an opportunity for them to feel the sting of non-conformity and gain the fortitude to do what you believe is right even when it’s uncomfortable. Plus, life is hard. At some point, they’ll be dealt something much pricklier than a 3-by-6-inch cloth.
As valuable as these lessons are, we wouldn’t want them to come at the cost of our sons’ health. We heard other parents worrying about the risks of prolonged mask use by children, so we looked into it. All the credible sources we trust confirmed that masks are safe for school-aged children, and an effective way to limit the spread of COVID and move all of us closer to ending this pandemic.
No one in our family is in a high-risk group. We’re lucky. We know there are vulnerable children in our community who cannot yet be vaccinated and whose families very much worry for them. We know the Delta variant is sending more kids to the hospital. Yes, the likelihood of a Rangeley child dying is low, but to us, even a small risk doesn’t seem justified when it can easily be prevented, and the parents of vulnerable children can be saved a year of worry.
To us, masks are a way to respect and protect the youngest, most vulnerable members of our community. They also minimize the potential of a positive test from one of our sons sending his classmates home for remote learning, thereby inconveniencing them and their families.
We’re glad our sons will have an early opportunity to experience how it feels to sacrifice for the sake of others and take personal responsibility for one’s actions. That what is required of them – wearing a mask – is so tangible will make these lessons even more powerful.
As many people know, we homeschooled our children last year. Perhaps it is easy for us to hold these views. But we’re prepared to walk our kids through this undertaking just as we walk them through dozens of other character-building tasks. With practice, we hope our sons will eventually be unfazed by whatever life throws at them.
We know many families and school board members are torn about what to do this year. We appreciate that the decision is not easy and that everyone is trying to figure out what is best for their child. As people deliberate, we invite them to join us in approaching this as a growth opportunity for our kids and embrace a once-in-a-generation chance for them to feel part of something larger than themselves.
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