Students from Seattle Public Schools (SPS) staged a walk-out on Monday. They left class rally about the lifting of the mask mandate. They demand that the mandate be reinstated. Gov. Jay Inslee ended the mask mandate for most indoor spaces on March 12.
Some businesses and government entities are deciding to keep masks in place. The superintendent advisory board met with the superintendent on March 5 and stated that the district would end the mask mandate two weeks after spring break.
The student protesters, led by the Seattle Student Union, demanded that the district reinstate the mask mandate and revisit the issue two weeks after spring break, similar to what students believed to be the original plan. Removing masks right now, the students said, was too soon.
Close to 5,000 staff and students reported catching COVID-19 during the Omicron outbreak. Some students did not forget. Students talked with emotion about endangering others when it doesn’t have to be. Masks work best when worn by everyone in the room.
But not all students feel free to express themselves about wearing mask now. Some students feel bullied for wearing masked now. Some schools are now looking at anti-bullying initiatives in response to mask-related harassment.
Students at the protest talked about their concerns. SPS said in a statement that the district simply followed Public Health – Seattle & King County’s lead, as it has done throughout the pandemic.
