BE MASKED, THAT’S INCONVENIENT
AND SOMETIMES LIFE IS
INCONVENIENT.
>>> THE DEBATE CONTINUES ON
WHETHER MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED
FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING.
TODAY, WE REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL
DISTRICTS ABOUT THEIR PLANS FOR
THE FALL.
THE DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS
COMMUNITY DISTRICT AND ANN ARBOR
SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRING MASKS.
WHILE DEARBORN SCHOOLS AND
UNDECIDED, AND PLYMOUTH-CANTON
AND UTICA, IT’S A HOT TOPIC
AMONG PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
>> Paula: WE LOOKED AROUND AND
WENT TO A PLACE WHERE A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE DOING SCHOOL
SHOPPING.
AND WE DID FOUND EXCITEMENT AND
A LOT OF ANGST, ANXIETY, AND
UNCERTAINTY.
AND A LOT OF IT IS BEING FUELED
BY SOME OF THESE BOARD MEETINGS.
WE TOOK A SAMPLE FROM ACROSS THE
NATION OF BOARD MEETINGS THAT
HAPPENED LAST NIGHT.
TAKE A LISTEN TO THIS.
>> WE MUST BELIEVE IN THE
SCIENCE THAT HAS PROVEN THAT
MASK WEARING REDUCES THE SPREAD
OF COVID WHICH WILL, IN TURN,
KEEP OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL.
>> Paula: LAST NIGHT, AUGUST
9th, 2021.
>> WE’RE NOT SEEING THE NUMBERS
RISE WHERE THERE IS NO MASK
MANDATE BUT IT IS RISING WHERE
THERE IS A MASK MANDATE.
>> YOU STRIPPED MY KID OF A
WHOLE YEAR OF SCHOOL ALREADY!
>> Paula: A MIX OF ANGST AND
ANGER.
MISINFORMATION.
>> DID YOU KNOW THAT THE BLUE
MASK THAT YOU GUYS HAND OUT TO
KIDS IF THEY FORGET ONE HAVE
HARMFUL TOXINS IN THEM.
>> Paula: THIS IS THREE WEEKS
FROM THE START OF MOST SCHOOL
YEARS.
TIM WITH THE UTICA COMMUNITY
SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS FENDED OFF A
FEW ANGRY COMMENT SESSIONS FROM
ITS OWN MEETING, INCLUDING LAST
NIGHT.
>> IT’S EMOTIONAL ISSUES AND
PEOPLE ARE IN DIFFERENT SPACES.
BUT FOR US, IT’S ABOUT MOVING
FORWARD.
>> Paula: THUS FAR, THIS
DISTRICT OF 26,000 STUDENTS WILL
BE STARTING SCHOOL WITH A MASK
OPTION THOUGH RECOMMENDED AS
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
PARTICIPATE IN BACK-TO-SCHOOL
SHOPPING AND THERE’S A REAL
EXCITEMENT.
>> SO I CAN SEE ALL MY FRIENDS.
>> Paula: THAT THE CHILDREN WILL
EXPERIENCE IN-PERSON LEARNING
BUT ALSO REAL FEAR AND CONCERN
OF THE UNKNOWN THIS CLOSE TO THE
START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
>> IT’S SCARY FOR THE CHILDREN
BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’T GOTTEN
THEIR VACCINE YET.
AND THAT MEANS THEY MIGHT GET
SICK.
>> Paula: AND GENERAL SEEM TO
TAKE ON THE TONE OF THEIR
PARENTS.
>> THEY’RE EXCITED TO GO BACK TO
SCHOOL BUT DON’T WANT TO WEAR
MASKS.
>> I DON’T WANT TO WEAR MASKS,
YOU CAN’T REALLY BREATHE IN
THEM.
>> THOSE NOT WEARING MASKS, AND
SPREADING IT ESPECIALLY WITH THE
DELTA VARIANT IS HIGHER.
SO THAT’S A HUGE CONCERN FOR US.
>> YOU COULD STILL GET SICK FROM
NOT HAVING THEIR MASK ON.
AND I DO WANT TO SEE OTHER
PEOPLE’S FACES, TOO, BUT COVID
IS STILL A THING SO YOU NEED TO
HAVE YOUR MASK ON.
>> Paula: THEY CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH THE MACOMB COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT AND WITH SCHOOL
BEGINNING FOR THIS DISTRICT
AUGUST 31st.
>> WHAT I WOULD SAY TO PARENTS
WHO ARE CONCERNED, THINK ABOUT
EVERYTHING WE’VE BEEN THROUGH
SINCE MARCH OF 2020 TOGETHER.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY RESILIENT
COMMUNITY.
AND LIKE EVERY SCHOOL YEAR, BACK
TO SCHOOL IS SUCH A TRADITION,
AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS.
IT REPRESENTS A NEW BEGINNING.
THERE’S SO MUCH TO BE EXCITED
ABOUT FOR THE START OF OUR
SCHOOL YEAR.
>> Paula: YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT?
SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE TRYING TO
GET THIS FIGURED OUT.
AND THIS WILL SOUND A LOT LIKE
GROUNDHOG DAY WHERE IT REPEATS
ITSELF AND EPETS ITSELF.
WHATEVER YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT
TELLS YOU TODAY, IT COULD VERY
WELL CHANGE IN THE NEXT 2, 3, 4
WEEKS, DEPENDING ON THE VARIANT
AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY’RE
LISTENING TO THE COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OR CDC, AND A LOT OF
IT DEPENDS ON THE SPREAD OF THE