Student Opinion: Masks Mandates

COVID has been an ongoing occurrence for quite some time as we all know. Mask mandates have been very controversial over the past year.
Talking to students at AHS, asking their opinions on the talk of mandating masks and how they think the school should proceed.
“I think masks should be optional, it’s honestly whatever the student chooses,” sophomore Kayden Back said, “If they choose to wear a mask I don’t think there should be any penalty against them if it makes them feel safe.”
These students did not have strong opinions necessarily for or against the mandate but did believe it should be encouraged.
“I do think we should try to push for maybe not a full mask mandate,” Senior Isaiah Davidson said, “but try to require a semi mandate or even encourage some type of vaccine.”
Many people you’d talk to in everyday life have strong opinions about wearing or not wearing their masks, but these students want everyone to do what they please.
“I’m fine with wearing a mask but,” Davidson said, “I know there are people who don’t like wearing a mask or say they have health conditions that make it harder for them to wear a mask.”
Mandating masks would take the school´s state funding, the school could mandate masks but it is not likely.
“Keeping it optional would be the best choice,” Back said, “ because there’s no conflict.”
The band is a big organization both of these students are a part of and they usually work in close proximity with each other.
“More and more kids are starting to[wear masks] when we’re in rehearsal,” Back said, “they take them off because they play their instruments.”
Masks are a big part of everyday life and now with the Delta variant, people are more worried about the mask use.