Posted on by Californiacontrarian

School Daze

The state of California has just come out with its “enlightened” master plan for the school year that begins in a month or so. I say “enlightened” even though it is apparent to me that the Californians in charge of this master plan seem to be still wandering helplessly in the dark. California Health and Human Services Director, Mark Ghaly is apparently leading the way, stating that face masks must be worn by all students and all who work in the schools or drive school buses.

Right off the top, let’s assume a few things:

First: let’s assume that face masks work … one face mask and not the two or the three face masks that some have recommended because one mask “may not be good enough.” Again let’s just assume that face masks work … not the N95s, but the ones that are purchased at Walgreen’s or the ones that are given away where “masks may still be necessary for some.”

Second: let’s assume that school children will wear these face masks properly, covering both the nose and the mouth. And let us assume that the correct positioning of the mask in the morning when that child leaves home to board the school bus, will be maintained throughout the entire school day.

Third: let’s assume that when these children’s masks are temporarily removed, for instance at recess or at lunch, that the masks will be handled cautiously and only by clean hands in the interim.

Fourth: let’s assume that the child with the sniffles or one that may have sneezed will never touch his/her mask with his/her hands.

Fifth: let’s assume the each and every child puts on a clean face mask every morning … meaning that the paper face masks are not reused, and that that cloth face masks are washed every day.

If Dr. Ghaly believes in these five assumptions, with all due respect, “Doctor, do you want to buy a bridge?”

At this point I think most all of us would agree that in-person schooling is a sine qua non (an indispensable requirement) for the children returning to school this year. If only the unvaccinated needed to wear masks while at school, common sense would dictate that teachers and hall monitors could not realistically differentiate who is vaccinated and thus realistically does not need to wear a mask.

Ergo, I think that the only rational and commonsensical approach would be for nobody to wear a face mask at school. 

Think about the following: 

Consider: At this point the vaccine has not been okayed for those twelve or less. Middle school would be a cacophony of confusion with some students older and some younger than twelve.

Consider: The mortality and morbidity statistics just published from England – supposedly the most comprehensive anywhere in the world – found that the risk of a child dying from Covid is 2 / 1,000,000, and the risk of a child ending up very sick in an ICU is 1/48,000. In other words the covid risk of bad stuff happening for children is extremely low.

Consider: This would be the ideal time and the ideal situation to try to achieve some sort of herd immunity. If kids who are at minuscule risk get Covid at school, in the long run, all the better as far as the population in general achieving herd immunity.

Consider: The risk of getting significantly ill with a Covid infection after receiving both doses of the vaccine is extrembly small. If a teacher or a school bus driver insists that everyone be masked … perhaps he/she should consider another job.

I can already hear the screams that this plan would be inhumane as Junior could well infect Gramma. My response to this emotional blather … “consider gettin vaccinated, Gramma.”

Of course this sort of rational and commonsensical plan could never be implemented … as this is California.

FYI: For those interested on how a small college town approached their Covid situation in schools, you may want to read my latest book, 

“The Keneally Chronicles,” by Daniel R. Collins

7/12/21

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