Texas parents and school mask mandates: It's complicated.
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00:00It's my body, it's my choice. It's not your choice about my children's body,
00:04it's not your choice about my granddaughter's bodies. It's their parents' choice, guys.
00:08This is super simple. Mandate masks for the safety of all kids. If parents don't like that rule,
00:13there's a parent-led virtual option awaiting them. You want choice? Your choice is virtual.
00:17We need to stop catering to those who disagree with the facts and the science proving masks work.
00:22If you mandate that my children have to wear a mask in school,
00:25they will not comply because that will be their duty as patriotic Americans.
00:29They're free kids. We will not comply with the mask mandate.
00:32I will pull my kids out of the school district the moment you mandate masks. Thank you.
00:37My daughter is 10 years old. She's in fifth grade.
00:40Every single kid at her campus is ineligible for the vaccine.
00:44I send her to school every day wondering if she's going to come home with COVID,
00:49wondering if she's going to need an ICU bed that's not available.
00:53How do you think that makes me feel as a parent?
00:56I'm angry and frustrated and I feel helpless.
01:00Let's be clear here. I am not anti-vaccine. I am not anti-mask. I'm anti-force.
01:04As forced without consent is never okay or lawful.
01:08I just want my children and all your children to get back to learning,
01:13not to focus on whether their mask is up. Thank you.
01:16I'm not going to pretend to be a Google scientist or a Google physician up here,
01:20but I will share my anecdotes as others have. My seven and eight year old tend to forget that
01:25their mask is even on when they get in the car. It does not bother them.
01:29I don't want you to tell me to tell my son to wear a mask.
01:32If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. Please do.
01:35If they prevent your child from getting sick and you need to feel safe, please wear your mask.
01:40Masks are most effective when everyone is wearing them.
01:44Public health measures require us to all work together.
01:49It's more than personal responsibility or individual choice. We're all part of one community.
01:55Mask mandates are not a hundred percent catchall. You know, masks don't stop everybody from getting
02:01COVID. And even if they did, this board lacks the authority to mandate them for
02:05every child in the school district. Simply encouraging masks isn't working.
02:09Just like we require shoes for all students or peanut free snacks in some classrooms,
02:13we need to come together for the safety of our district.
02:15I have a nine year old who did go to Plano ISD. I had to take him out of Plano ISD because I
02:22refused for him to wear a mask. In addition to me paying school taxes, I'm also paying for private
02:27school now. He attends private school. He does not wear a mask. He does not social distance.
02:32His grades have gone through the roof. He's on the A honor roll now
02:36because of the better education he's getting.
02:39Freedom. Freedom should be used to protect the community. Endangering a community
02:43definitely is not freedom. We have many kids, parents, family members who are
02:48immunocompromised in our community. I'm immunocompromised. In my family,
02:53all are vaccinated and our kids are going to middle and high school.
02:57Mask only stops spreading COVID, but it does not stop getting it.
03:01So please mandate mask for everybody at school.