Following are excerpts from a letter sent to the Council Rock School Board members:
I am writing to voice my concern and displeasure with the board’s current approach to the COVID-19 pandemic in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year.
I have an incoming 5th grader (and would have had an incoming kindergartner but elected to send her outside of the district as a result of the lack of mitigation plans in place). Bucks County infection rates are increasing – 10 fold in the last month alone and the county is now listed as an area of substantial transmission.
A recent local publication cited 562 infections in the last week, which is a 62% increase in one week and 151% increase in the last two weeks. In addition, Bucks County as a whole averages nine cases per day of school-aged children. This is likely to increase even more substantially once school resumes.
No child younger than age 12 is eligible yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Some children are immunocompromised, placing them at increased risk of contracting and, subsequently, spreading the condition. Additionally, some children develop severe illness from the virus, including MIS-C2 and long COVID-193.
Further, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has already reported increased child hospitalizations and positive rates.
What I am asking for is listed below and is in alignment with the recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC:
- Mask mandate indoors and on buses
- Ventilation
- Physical distancing
- Sanitary measures
In addition, it should be important to note that parents who are requesting that masks are optional are doing so based on incorrect information. A recent survey, which was sent out by Council Rock Families asking for the optional mask mandate to remain, has many faults and includes irrelevant data and citations.
Parents opposing mask mandates are also citing parental choice. But as you well know, mask wearing is about protection of others not oneself. The concept of my mask protects you and your mask protects me is widely accepted by the scientific community. And while mask wearing does also protect oneself, it is more highly effective when combined with others wearing masks.
The Bucks County Commissioners this week ordered all employees and the public to wear masks when entering county buildings and in common areas such as hallways and elevators. County employees who can document their vaccination status are not required to wear masks in their offices or workspaces.
What message is it sending if you do not require masks for children? Employees of the commissioners’ offices are more important than the kids?
As board members you are charged with protecting our children and you have a responsibility to them. Sometimes this means being more conservative as the risk is too great not to be. Why risk it? What harm does mandating masks cause?
Please also consider the financial impact. Consider how many people will pull out of the district and put their kids in a cyber program and one with a more robust safety and health plan, if you do not take action.
We have only a very small window of time before you can implement these measures. My only agenda is to have kids back in school in person, safely. It should be yours as well, as this is your duty.
Jennifer Brennan, Newtown
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