By JAMIE ALLARD
As a parent, I’m concerned about the proposed reinstatement of the mask mandates for our children, who will be returning to school in a couple of weeks.
As a public figure, I understand that Superintendent Deena Bishop of the Anchorage School District is in a tough spot. The pressure on her is enormous.
Both the teachers’ union and majority of the school board are bullying her to order children back into masks. It seems all but inevitable that she will do so next week, and masking of our children will be the new normal.
What can parents of public school children who object to this masking policy do?
It’s a series of tradeoffs, most certainly. If you feel the masking of your children has gone too far and will harm their ability to learn, socialize, and enjoy school, perhaps now is the time to find a group of like-minded parents who can co-educate in a shared-responsibility home-school format. It takes time to find such a community of home-schooling parents, and it’s a daunting responsibility. But in Alaska, we are very well adapted to a home-school and hybrid-schooling learning environment.
Not all students will like the stay-home solution. They long for their friends and miss out on the camaraderie of being part of a class moving through the grades together. Children are social beings and need to be exposed to a wide variety of points of view and safe-but-expansive experiences. As imperfect as a school day may be, it is a place for them to stretch, learn, and grow.
Parents can also rise up and refuse to mask their children. Civil disobedience has consequences, too. It subjects children to another kind of pressure – that of having to stand up for their own rights against the very authority that grades them. Bullying by teachers and fellow students will occur. Once a student makes the decision to unmask, he or she will be sent to the nurse’s office and then banished to their home.
Grandstanding is not for the faint of heart. We have to look no further than what government and corporate America has done to the workplace to see what happens to those who do not comply with masks, vaccines, and other mandates.
The pro-maskers are moving quickly so concerned parents who want their children’s faces to be free cannot organize.
This, even though the CDC and the World Health Organization cannot agree on masking children. WHO advises against masking kids 5 and under, and only masking 6- to 11-year-olds under some circumstances.
The CDC advises masks should be worn by any unvaccinated person over 2 years old in all indoor public spaces.
WHO and CDC are giving completely different advice about masks on children.
The way this mask mandate racket worked last year was incremental and fundamentally incoherent. First came the lockdowns, then the masks combined with nonsensical, partial lockdowns. This year, it may occur in the reverse, as the Biden Administration, already mandating masks, appears perfectly willing to enact a national lockdown for an undetermined period of time, saying that the White House is just following the science.
We know better. It’s not science. This is naked politics. The Biden Administration would have closed the borders long ago if this was really about science. Biden is not quarantining the hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens coming into the country. The floodgates are open on the southern border, and meanwhile, Americans are being told to comply, comply, comply.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas has it right: “If the CDC, Biden, or any local leader recommends another lockdown, don’t comply. Businesses. Schools. Restaurants. No one should comply.”
Kenai Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce has it right: Don’t even think about putting masks back on children, since they rarely suffer any impact from the Covid-19 virus.
Mayor Dave Bronson also has it right: He has said there will be not be mask mandates on city property during his watch. I agree with him on that.
I also agree with those who believe that masking children is nothing short of criminal child abuse. Don’t do it, Anchorage School Board.
I call on all leaders in Alaska to stand against the masking of our innocent, children, who depend on us to defend them and their rights.
Parents, you can attend the school board meeting on Aug. 3 and voice your concerns. You can email all school board members at [email protected].
The time to weigh in is now, before it is too late. After the decision is made, your options as a parent get very narrow.
Read: Jamie Allard: Long live the class of 2021; long live freedom
Jamie Allard is the Anchorage Assemblywoman representing Chugiak / Eagle River.
Time to pull kids out of school and affect their funding
The only reason for masking kids in school is for anti-science, fearful teachers. This is not to protect kids, but is perceived to keep teachers from catching Covid. The ASD ignores the multiple scientific studies which say masks to little to nothing for the wearer or the other person. In FACT, kids have demonstrated if they wear masks for as little as three minutes, then their CO2 levels rise dangerously to levels illegal in the workplace under government standards. It is certainly a lie that masking is ‘for the children’, as the teachers falsely claim about the school budget increases (which is for raises).
A message I sent to Kenai Peninsula School Board Members and Superintendent on 7-29-2021
I would ask that you not institute any type of mask mandates for my children during the upcoming school year. I have 2 children that attend Kenai Central High School. My family feels completely safe attending school without wearing masks.
A mask mandate hinders our children’s learning ability’s, makes them anti-social, and destroys the in-person classroom learning environment needed to be successful. This issue has become divisive, political, and splits our community. Masking mandates will continue to turn parents and students away from KPBSD.
I support the most recent KPBSD mitigation plan in the school board packet put forth by the superintendent dated 7-27-21. This a commonsense plan with all the data available today.
It’s now time for the school district board to get back to the business of educating our children. Leave any mandates to the State, I ask you wait and follow their lead.
Those wanting to take extra steps can wear a mask and get vaccinated.
There are great distance learning programs throughout Alaska as an option for our children to earn an education outside the normal classroom setting. The decision to mask will also determine if families will continue to migrate to those programs or stay within KPBSD.
Thank you for your elected service as a school board member,
James Baisden
Thanks for sharing this.
I’m just guessing here, but I’m willing to bet that ASD won’t have kids even back in school. I pray for our children that ASD does let them in, and mask-less, but after what we’ve witnessed the last year and a half, I’m not hopeful. Please let me be wrong.
People also need to understand what the health risks are for anyone that has to attempt to breath under those masks!!! Masks are stifling!!!
Anybody that believes masks increase health risks has already been missing oxygen to the brain.
Exactly. Wearing masks cause a decrease in oxygen levels. Not to mention headaches, and some have even resulted in pneumonia as they breathe in the toxins they breathe out. 🙁 Sad they are trying to force kids to wear these again. This is why I homeschool. But I shouldn’t have to. Those that have the fear of this political over dramatic flu should have to homeschool their children. (Granted I have come to like homeschooling-at least I know what my kids are learning and no political crap shoved down their throats, but I shouldn’t have to so they can breathe fresh air).
That’s funny.
I wrote Deena Bishop an email a few days ago expressing my outrage for masks being considered again and how they have completely messed up my son socially and psychologically. She wrote back saying:
Dear Mr. [ ],
Thank you for your feedback. Please know that our present protocol is for voluntary masking. The School Board has an interest in making masks mandatory due to the current viral counts. I understand your frustration.
Thanks again for your email.
Deena Bishop
I then wrote the School board asking about it and requested the names of each board member in favor of masks. I received the following reply:
” Mr. [ ],
On behalf of the Anchorage School Board, I want to thank you for you email.
Contrary to the article you shared and your request for names, the Board has not discussed mitigation plan for the 21-22 fall semester.
???
Who’s lying? The School Board or Bishop ?
Every parent needs to know this.
Since when is the CDC a reliable source of information?
So far I haven’t seen anything reliable come from them the whole time this Covid fiasco started. I wonder how much they are getting paid to promote this again?
Why is it so hard for the rest of us to get the shot? It doesn’t hurt it’s just a little poke.. and I don’t know the smartest people on the planet recommend it. Put your tough face on and just do it. They even put a little band aid over it for you…
You are very naive if you think most adults are afraid of a little poke. Most of us have had blood draws and shots for many other things. It isn’t the “poke”–it’s what’s in the syringe behind it and you know that! Stop accusing us of being stupid.
Andrew, it’s an experimental drug. People who take the vaccines are test subjects, capiche? There are thousands of documented cases of people suffering terrible side affects and death from this vaccine, do your research! We will know more in a year or two, but you can bet that there will be many terrible side affects from the vaccines- heck there are side affects for almost any drug! Have you never watched the lawyer ads on TV for class action suits because of drug side affects? The difference here is that you cannot sue the vaccine makers when you have a stroke, heart problems or lose feeling in your legs after taking this vaccine. And did you know, Andrew, that as a result of the vaccines, there are 9 new billionaires in the world? Lots of people are getting rich off these drugs! Did you know, Andrew, that all the vaccines have elements of aborted babies? Is Bill Gates, who said that we need to reduce the population of the world (and is in on the big money from this vaccine) one of your “smartest people in in the world”? And if the vaccine is so wonderful, the proverbial cat’s meow, why are people who have been vaccinated told that they must still mask up, and why are thousands of them still coming down with COVID?
Experimental going on two years now. I don’t think so.
There are just as many smart people that state we should NOT get this done. No thank you! They even have it on their websites that the injection (refuse to call it a vaccine as there is no proof of this) is still in it’s trial stages! If you get it there is no repercussions to those that injected you. YOU are the test subject. Thats why its still in its trial stages. YOU walked into the office said you would be a lab rat and got your “little poke” and now we wait and watch to see how it effects the lab rat… maybe 6 months.. maybe a year. BUT the trial stages end in 2022 so…..
Masks reduce transmission of a very serious virus. Ms Allard has difficulty dealing with facts, the virus is evolving. Impacts to children are rare? Tell that to the parents of kids in the hospital with Covid.
Evidence please, Frank. The CDC itself has been back and forth on the effectiveness of masks. Most people don’t even wear them correctly anyway.
Fool couldn’t see evidence if it hit him in the face. No reasoning with these fools. Makes me wonder why they are hiding in Alaska?
Dunleavy should make an executive order, making masks in public schools optional. So should Bronson.
Now is the time to decide which direction your child’s future goes. Parents have been running on overtime delaying what needs to be done.
A lot of us parents know how confused these people are running school boards and administrations, the ones that hire equally confused staff members. You can continue having your child educated by a confused adult, hoping for the best. Or you can pull them out and decide to try disciplining yourself how to work through a home school curriculum or just sacrifice some luxury expenses so you can afford a private school.
(You might have to downsize the house, sell a condo or second house, sell a car, stay home for vacations, reduce shopping, so you can pay for private education or so the second spouse can stay home home schooling.)
Once again, a reminder to pay attention to your local elections. Yes, the national elections are important, but in reality, the people we elect to the city/county positions can screw up your daily life a LOT worse than the President can.
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This panicdemic and 2020 has demonstrated clearly that the people we elected in the past are not interested in representing the taxpayers. Get people into those positions that are interested in doing their duty as a school board member or Assembly member. And, if they demonstrate they will not, vote them out next election.
Why does it have to be a mandate?? That I just never figured out. Why not leave it up to the parents. If you and your child feel more comfy wearing a mask, do it, but don’t project your decision making on the entire system. Supposedly wearing a mask “protects” you and yours, so it should not matter if other kids don’t wear one. “Choice” sadly a concept shoved to the wayside, by those who claim to be our betters…
It has to be a mandate so fist fights in 3rd grade don’t break out or recess bullies don’t go around pulling classmates masks off.
No, that is the ignorant parents in the parking lot.
The time to push back was almost a year ago. Too little, too late.
Government never surrenders power.
And it will never surrender your kids.
Best option is to move to a conservative state like the Dakotas or Texas. Alaska is just a colder version of California.
If Mayor Bronson says there will be no mask mandates on city property, then there will be no mask mandates in the school district because the Muni owns the property. The ASD does not own the real property. BTW, parents should keep their kids out of schools for the first 3 weeks of October which is the student count period for State funding. Those kids not in school during those 3 weeks do not get funding from the state.
Parents who want to home school should go to KhanAcademy.org for help in teaching their kids. It has excellent curricula in all subjects.
Great suggestion! Then when they don’t get any money and have to fire some of the teachers that keep pushing the mask mandates: BAM maybe they will listen to the people!
Get your kids OUT of public schools anyway! They are indoctrination centers for the left.
Yeah, I hate their left spin on math.
David B. and Steven P.
I like you guys already and I haven’t even met you. ??
Thank you both for being awake and providing intelligent, factual input. Our kids need more people like you.
Thank you Deanna! I completely agree!!!!
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