More than a dozen Barrington School District 220 parents and students urged school board members at the Nov. 16 Board of Education meeting to disregard the state’s mask mandate and make mask-wearing optional for students.
From elementary age to high school, a few students shared how the masks have been distracting in school, making it hard for them to breathe and learn. Students said they felt constricted, couldn’t see their teacher’s faces to learn a language or sing, and often couldn’t hear their teachers in class.
Parents questioned COVID-19 infection rate metrics and wondered out loud why Illinois is among states in the country still requiring masks. Many of the 16 people who commented during the public comment portion of the meeting recommended the board ignore the governor’s executive order and the Illinois State Board of Education’s mask mandates, suggesting there would not be consequences.
“Not being able to see my peers’ faces has put me at a disadvantage,” a Barrington High School senior told the board Nov. 16, adding he feels like he’s entering a “dark cloud” when he arrives at school.
The teen said he often meets with peers outside of school without masks and feels like he’s living in two different worlds.
“I feel like I have a muzzle on,” he said. “I’m here to implore you to have a mask option, freeing the students.”
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