A teachers’ union in Seattle is demanding that masks be worn until at least May, despite the mandate being lifted in the state and county. The union argued that masks bring a sense of “normalcy” to children…like a school uniform, perhaps? As reported by Fox News, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee lifted the state’s indoor mask […]
A teachers’ union in Seattle is demanding that masks be worn until at least May, despite the mandate being lifted in the state and county.
The union argued that masks bring a sense of “normalcy” to children…like a school uniform, perhaps?
As reported by Fox News, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee lifted the state’s indoor mask mandate beginning March 11, including for schools. Seattle Public Schools, however, announced it will keep its mask mandate in place “until further notice.”
The district said it must negotiate with the Seattle Education Association teachers union, “as required by the current collective bargaining agreement, to arrive at a mutually agreeable position regarding any permanent change to mask use requirements throughout the district.”
Seattle Education Association president Jennifer Matter said masks should be mandated until at least May 1.
“We believe there should be no rush to lift the mask mandate,” she said. “We have people who are immunocompromised, we have pregnant educators, we have educators who have children of their own that are under 5 years of age that cannot be vaccinated.”
In a statement, the Seattle Education Association argued that masks bring a “sense of safety and normalcy.”
“In our experience, universal required masking has been our most important in-classroom and in-building mitigation measure during this pandemic,” the statement read. “Our students and educators have been wearing masks in schools for over a year now, and it has become routine and accepted. In fact, masks contribute to feelings of safety and normalcy that schools provide our students.”
"Further, removing the mask mandate now fails the many students and educators who are immuno-compromised or pregnant, who live with someone who is, or who live with children under age 5 who cannot yet receive a vaccine," it continued. "A large number of children under 12 remain unvaccinated with disproportionately higher numbers of those living in our more socially and economically diverse communities. It is important that with masking changes the voices of those most vulnerable to COVID be heard, Educators and Students alike.
