Elected officials must keep two things in mind when making decisions about COVID-19 testing, mask mandates and vaccinations. First their decisions should be based in science, not which talk show they listen to. Second they were elected to represent the people in their geopolitical district, not their personal/political/religious views.
We’ve all lived through the ups and downs of mask mandates and the lack thereof. While it seems to be winding down (for now) the slow emergence from who should wear a mask where continues to be driven by politics. The Feb. 25 Española School Board meeting, held specifically for a decision on mask-wearing, split the Board along political lines.
The Board was set to decide on four questions, which administrators had tossed out for anyone to weigh in on through an online survey. All the questions revolved around the continuance of mask wearing: in classrooms, outside of classrooms, as spectators at large gatherings and as student athletes competing.
To its credit the District received a very respectable 1,216 responses from parents, students and teachers/staff.
To the first question of whether students should continue to wear masks during class, teachers and staff overwhelmingly said yes (72 percent). Parents were right behind them at 66 percent agreeing to continue wearing masks in class. Students of course said no and we question why children should have a voice, without demonstrating they’ve informed themselves on the issue. Yes we must admit at this point we have to question how many adults are operating on information versus political stances and the misinformation provided by a political group not doctors or scientists.
Science says we can take masks off. That should be the guiding tool in decision-making by the Board. However, teachers, staff and parents disagree. That’s understandable based on the political makeup of the District.
The superintendent recommended keeping masks on (indefinitely) because of the survey. When the Board president called for that motion, Board member Javin Coriz jumped in and made the motion to not continue wearing masks. Board member Ruben Archuleta seconded.
Coriz made the same tired right wing plea that forcing mask-wearing violated our freedoms. We all have the right to choose for ourselves. This worn argument never addresses unmasked (and unvaccinated) people spreading the different strains of the virus. The choice to not wear a mask while around strangers puts everyone in danger and no one has the right to put another person’s life in danger.
The motion was voted down 3-2 and Board Vice President Brandon Bustos made the motion to follow the advice of the superintendent, based on the survey results.
Coriz’s and Archuleta’s “no” vote does not represent their constituents’ desires. It represents their personal opinions and probably those of the people with whom they communicate. It’s human nature that people gather with those who believe (not think, that requires facts) the same way they do. Technically they were voting with the science handed down by the New Mexico Health Department on Feb. 18 but against their constituents’ wishes. That’s difficult to weigh.
Archuleta made an excellent point when the second question on the survey came up for an action item. Why is it right to keep masks on in a classroom but students can step outside the classroom and remove it, all the while with the same students, cohorts, friends? However, keeping with the survey results, the Board voted for students to stop wearing masks outside the classroom.
We haven’t had the vaccination fight in the schools, as other states have. That’s an even deeper discussion but one that science should rule and parents shouldn’t place their political views in the way of children being healthy.
India during 2021 suffered horrific death numbers, people living on top of each other, no masks available, no hospital space, no oxygen tanks. When two companies there developed vaccines it was mandated by the government that everyone will get two doses of vaccine. They enjoy over a 90 percent partial (one shot) vaccination rate, with 1.77 billion vaccines given to a population of 1.39 billion. They have had the vaccine available since January 2021.
Our country, which enjoys those precious freedoms to make our own bad decisions, based on politics, not facts, has a single dose vaccination rate of 76.4 percent and second dose rate of 61.6 percent. We have 332 million people in this country and can’t get near India’s numbers. We have had vaccines available since December 2020.
There’s a lot to be said for not giving people too much rope with which to hang themselves. Their bad decisions take a lot of people with them.