Debate rages over Gov. Brown's school mask mandate
PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown's recent decision to require masks be worn in all K-12 schools this fall is causing debate among parents.
"I truly believe seeing adult faces and peers' faces are crucial to social and emotional development," said Rene Gonzalez, co-founder of the groupED 300, a group focused on a normal return to school for kids this fall. "Within our family communities there is some very deep anger."
Gonzalez believes the decision will cause some Portland parents to disenroll their kids from the public school system.
"We're not saying children shouldn't wear masks," said Gonzalez. "We're saying it should not be mandated in this context."
Gonzalez is careful to say that he and other families aren't denying the existence of the pandemic or the need to take health precautions. He says he believes the negative effects of masking outweighs any perceived benefits.
"We firmly disagree with one tenet of her position, that masking is the best way to keep kids safe," said Gonzalez. "The best way to keep kids safe is adults to get vaccinated. The best way to keep kids safe from COVID is that if they have symptoms, keep them home. These are practical steps we can all take."
Other parents in the state certainly support the mandate.
"It was nice to have some confirmation of something that we knew was already the right thing to do," said Amy McHugh, who's also the spouse of an educator.
McHugh says masks are one of the simplest mitigation measures as kids head back to school.
"We should be throwing everything we can at this to make sure we don't have to shut down again," said McHugh.
McHugh also believes we don't know enough about how the Delta variant affects kids.
"While children haven't been as impacted to date, they also weren't actively in buildings when the Delta variant came on to the landscape," she said.
McHugh says she's now focused on other safety measures she hopes to be implemented before the beginning of the school year, like increased social distancing and better ventilation in school buildings.