Opinion: Unmasked: A dance with stupidity

by Matthew Marte

Students are back on campuses across the world and, while some schools have mask enforcement, some, including Texas schools, do not.

“Whether people like it or not, they wouldn’t want to give someone covid and possibly ruin their life,” junior Maxwell Alfaro said.

According to the latest data, there have been 125,390 students who have tested positive for COVID-19 so far this school year in Texas schools.

Schools not mandating masks schools is a big red flag for students’ health and should be changed.

“Keeping a mask on will benefit students a lot by keeping everyone safe and preventing anyone from getting sick,” sophomore Habeeb Jimoh said.

In a series of back-and-forth decisions, the Texas Education Agency has said it would temporarily stop enforcing Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates in, the State Supreme Court issued a ruling

allowing school districts to require face-coverings, and, most recently, a federal judge ruling that the Texas ban on mandates violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.

While continuing legal battles are predicted, as of Nov. 10, schools and districts in Texas have the right to create their own rules and regulations on masking up on campus.

Students should be required to wear a mask to prevent themselves from getting sick and spreading the virus.

“I think in order for schools to prevent the spreading of covid they should take in consideration going back to virtual or enforce the use of mask & sanitizing,” sophomore Jenifer Solis said.

At least 45 districts shut down in-person classes due to COVID-19 cases that grew rapidly, affecting more than 40,000 students for the 2021-2022 school year.

Mask enforcement is very important to people’s lives, without mask enforcement, it’ll just end hurting more people and getting them affected. No one wants anyone to die or face the consequences of Covid-19.

So as anyone who wants to stay safe would say, “WEAR YOUR MASK!!!!!”