Durango School District 9-R board, please change the dress code back to allow masking to be a choice.
The Durango Herald just published Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data showing the number of COVID-19 cases in Durango High School, Escalante Middle School and Ignacio Elementary School over the last couple months. Durango schools had more cases even when our kids are forcibly masked. Ignacio has fewer cases, they aren’t masked and their reporting period was a month longer than the 9-R period.
You must see the variable of masking is not having a positive effect. Johns Hopkins University released its review of data that showed all lockdowns from 2020 had no significant positive effect. Mask mandates were included as a form of lockdown. JHU is a very credible institution, please follow the science and stop this nonsense. Please put the lunch tables back at Escalante. The lunchroom is an eating place and even San Juan Basin Public Health says nobody needs to wear masks while in an eating place. This is ridiculous. Have all tables been taken out of staff lounges in all schools?
It would be different if any of these restrictions had a positive result, but they don’t, everybody sees it. Masks in PE? Hardly a benefit to kids’ health. Ms. Brown said at the last meeting freedom of choice isn’t important. That is a terrible thing to tell kids. I am asking again that you please make masking a choice, let individuals mitigate their own risk. Everyone will get exposed to COVID-19, its natural viral progression. Two years is enough. Teach our kids freedom.
Jason Mietchen
Durango
