- November 23, 2024
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Dear Editor:
Making the case for controversial mask and vaccine mandates is not difficult. We have long been aware that individuals don’t always act in a responsible way, with the welfare of others, society or even themselves in mind. And because of this, there has always been the need for the passage of laws, regulations and rules in any civilized nation that recognizes the importance of the greater societal good and consequences for those who don’t comply.
And, in the context of those who believe there is some fundamental freedom or right to choose whether to wear masks or get vaccinated, it should be recognized that no freedom is absolute and that freedom to choose would come to an abrupt halt when the exercise of that choice can adversely affect the health or safety of others.
But so many anti-mask, anti-vaccination folks continue to expound the misguided notion of “my body, my choice” when that really translates into an unwelcome, and fallacious, “your body, my choice,” perversely shifting risk to others and is the antithesis of recognizing the greater good. And that kicks in and drives home the need for mask and vaccination mandates — one of those rules necessary to address less than responsible behavior.
As for extreme punitive sanctions or a government command backed by coercion for mandate noncompliance, none need be applied. With businesses and good corporate citizens in the lead, the freedom to choose would remain intact, but with a couple of caveats: Employers may not hire you and businesses may deny you access. “No jab, no job” and “no mask, no entry.”
And we can just call these conditions applied to voluntary activities rather than more oppressive sounding mandates.
Maggie Minutaglio
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
School started Aug. 10, and in the midst of meeting teachers, getting school supplies and making sure uniforms fit, many of us parents were also making sure we had masks, sanitizer and reminder conversations with our kids about the importance of each. For many parents who utilized remote learning last year, this is the first time our children are going back to campus for face-to-face learning in over a year and a half. My kids are beyond excited.
My husband and I have an 11- and an 8-year-old. The youngest has seasonal asthma. While we were grateful for the option of remote learning last year (our teachers were phenomenal), it was a struggle to keep our children engaged and motivated. My advanced student, as well as my all-A’s student, thrive with interaction from instructors. Unfortunately, iFlagler is not a viable option for my family at this time.
While I know that in-person instruction is the best for my children, I have many emotions and I can’t say that excitement is one of them. We are putting a smile on our face when we talk about school with our children and stressing how important it is for them to do the safe and right thing (wear a mask in indoor areas).
Many adults in this state are failing them by not doing the right thing and instead making a public health issue one about rights and freedoms.
We all know about the executive order issued by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. I don’t think the state should ban decisions that the school district should make, especially when situations can vary by county and district.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Florida Department of Health-Flagler Health Officer Bob Snyder have recommended everyone in K-12 wear face masks
The following counties have issued mask requirements for their schools: Alachua, Broward, Orange and Seminole.
Meanwhile, the pandemic is raging:
Due to studies that prove universal masking can help reduce the spread of COVID, I am in favor of this temporary solution for our schools. (See the study “An evidence review of face masks against COVID-19,” published in January, by the National Academy of Sciences, which concluded, "The preponderance of evidence indicates that mask wearing reduces transmissibility per contact by reducing transmission of infected respiratory particles in both laboratory and clinical contexts. Public mask wearing is most effective at reducing spread of the virus when compliance is high.”)
No one wants to mask forever. This is not about control or fear, but about facts and parenting to the best of our ability. I think that we in Flagler County are setting ourselves up for detrimental outcomes if we ignore the current health crisis that is right in our own county.
Ten years from now, we will all look back at this pandemic and evaluate how we handled ourselves in light of the health crisis that we were all faced with. Our children will look back and draw conclusions based on how we taught them to handle themselves while also being mindful of others. They will draw conclusions as to whether they thought we did enough to fight for their right for an in-person and safe education. They will draw conclusions as to whether we as parents and those leaders in charge thought they were important enough to stand up and fight against leaders who are not making their health and safety a priority.
I don’t want to be on the wrong side of that.
I want to be able to hold my head high and say that I made a stand for my children’s health and safety. I want to be able to say that we did our best and followed what scientific studies, the CDC, AAP and local health officials have all told us to do in regards to keeping our children as safe as possible.
I recently sent a letter to the Flagler County School Board stating the above and urging them to take a stand for our children’s health and safety and to implement temporary mask mandates in our schools.
I urged them to take a stand for what is right for our children based on evidence and facts, not politics, and I urge other parents to do the same.
Joy Mahon
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
I truly wish “Free for All Friday” (on WNZF radio) and Brian McMillan (Palm Coast Observer editor) would do more homework before they speak about Flagler Schools and COVID. To try and make this about politics is a weak argument in my opinion, but to follow it up with incorrect information is even worse.
The majority of individuals in Flagler want masks to be voluntary; there are only a noisy few who are “anti-maskers.” To say that Flagler Schools is afraid of a noisy few is quite disingenuous.
Flagler Schools is still doing social distancing where possible. The overcrowding of our schools makes quite a significant challenge. The bigger question really should be, why did our School Board allow our schools to become overcrowded to begin with? Now there's where they could have actually prepared for the expected.
There is always a "remote option”; it's called iFlagler. There is also Florida Virtual School. So to say there aren't any other options or that Flagler Schools doesn't offer remote learning, is again disingenuous. The truth is, the vast majority of parents actually want in-person learning. The fact that Flagler Schools didn't upset the apple cart to cater to the minority is a refreshing change.
When has any student been set back from missing four or five days of school? The answer is never. As a matter of fact, it's even less of a factor now because we are about 95% one-to-one with technology devices of some kind. All missed work is sent to the student so they don't skip a beat; any tests missed have designated retakes. To say otherwise shows one's ignorance.
As for water fountains? We already know that COVID doesn't survive on surfaces and the majority of water fountains now have bottle fillers.
I don't quite understand why some continue the fear mongering when even Dr. Stephen Bickel states there are more unknowns than there is known. It isn't about politics, it's about freedom and choice. Life is all about choices, and some want it to remain that way.
Paul Anderson
Palm Coast
Note: As far as I know, no Flagler-specific polls have been taken to determine whether parents want masks to be mandatory in schools. A nationwide poll, however, found that “two-thirds of U.S. adults and 60% of K-12 parents support mask mandates for unvaccinated teachers and staff members,” according to news.gallup.com.
Yes, iFlagler is an option, as always, but the option that Flagler Schools called Remote Live last year has been eliminated.
The American Academy of Pediatrics warns parents not to underestimate the harm of missing two days of school per month: “Children who are chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade are less likely to read on grade level by the third grade. For older students, being chronically absent is strongly associated with failing at school―even more than low grades or test scores.” Students could miss four to five days each time a friend tests positive for COVID-19.
— Brian McMillan, editor
