Remove the Gunnison County School District Mask Mandate

This petition is to express and display a strong visual statement to the Gunnison County School District in regards to their mask mandate they are forcing on our children.  This is not to minimize teachings of bio-security, but to vocalize, fight and protect our children from the excessive mask use that can have negative health consequences in a variety of ways.  Such as misuse of the mask.  

-Our children's hands touching their faces far more frequently due to the reajusting of mask placement which is a potential health risk for a variety of illness

-Bio-security measures for effective mask use not being able to be strictly monitored such as, a new mask daily, effective washing of masks, children setting the mask on contaminated surfaces then placing them back on their face

-The educational needs for children in speech therapy for the visual representation of pernounciation of words.  

-Children who maybe suffering from mental health conditions that the mask may trigger or worsen some students making a successful education more difficult.  Examples include anxiety or claustrophobia.  This is teaching them that their own personal health issues can and will be compromised/disregarded.  

These are just general overviews of many other concerns.  

The staff within the district have a commendable and appreciated job of teaching our children and should not have to police mask use.  The enforcing of mask use violates a parents freedom and liberty to govern our own children's health.  There are medical professionals in the field who have a different opinion and requiring such use can go against some families medical professional's opinions. This disregards any potential medical issue that can arise from the misuse of masks.  It is not the responsibility of the school to dictate how a parent chooses to mind their child's health.

With all of this being said, parents who choose to require their child to wear a mask still have the right to practice the health measure they deem fit.  There is roughly 80 million Americans who disagree with the implemented policies being forced throughout America.  This is not a small faction of individuals that should be blantantly ignored.  We the people have a Constitutional Right and responsibility to ensure the Government is working for its people with a non-biased perception and an open mind to genuinely find balance and compromise as well as sincerely listening to ALL of the people vs listening just to respond.  We do not work for our Governement, they work for us.  

I hope we can come together and make a statement that the parents of children in the Gunnison County School district as a whole are not being heard or even being considered in their policies.  Keeping the mask mandate optional supports both views on the way a parent chooses to govern their child's health.  The enforcement is creating more hostility and an even stronger division within the community.  The school is subjecting our children to a thought process that only allows an extremely specific view point in governing our own health, closes the door to other practiced medical professional's opinions which consequently teaches our children they do not have the liberty or freedom to educate themselves and choose accordingly as adults how they want to govern their own health.  It's a "my way or the highway" thought process being taught to our children by Gunnison County.  

Let's come together to not let our voices be silenced or ignored!  

Nichole Ditton    Contact the author of the petition