Kellen

On Mar. 9, Northshore School District announced that, in line with state Department of Health guidance, the district would be mask-optional.

On Mar. 3, Northshore School District Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid notified students, families and staff that masks would be optional at NSD schools beginning Mar. 12.  The first day of school with this new protocol for students and staff will be Monday, Mar. 14.  

On Friday, Mar. 11, Nordic News surveyed Inglemoor High School students and staff about their plans regarding mask-wearing once they return to a mask-optional school.  The anonymous answers from 252 students and 65 teachers are detailed below.  A selection of “Other” responses are listed at the bottom of this article.

On Saturday, March 12, Inglemoor High School will become mask-optional. When school returns on Monday, March 14, will you continue wearing a mask to school?    

Student Responses

Yes, I will still be wearing a mask on March 14: 65.9%

No, I will no longer be wearing a mask on March 14: 6.3%

Undecided – it will depend on what other students are doing: 18.7%

Undecided – it will depend what teachers are doing: 1.6%

Undecided – a different reason: 2.8%

Other: 4.7%

Teacher Responses:

Yes, I will still be wearing a mask on March 14: 43.1%

No, I will no longer be wearing a mask on March 14: 26.2%

Undecided – it will depend on what students are doing: 4.6%

Undecided – it will depend on what other teachers are doing: 1.5%

Other: 21.5%

If you definitely WILL continue to wear a mask on Monday, March 14, why? Select all that are applicable.

Student Responses:

Concerns about getting COVID-19: 74.6%

Concerns about spreading COVID-19: 61.7%

Concerns about physical appearance: 44.6%

Concerns about apparent political affiliations: 26.9%

Directions from parent/guardian: 19.7%

Other: 14.5%

Teacher Responses:

Concerns about getting COVID-19: 65.7%

Concerns about spreading COVID-19: 40%

Concerns about apparent political affiliations: 2.9%

Concerns about physical appearance: 0%

Other: 42.8%

If you definitely WILL continue to wear a mask on Monday, March 14, at what point (if any) would you feel comfortable no longer wearing a mask to school?  

This question was structured as a short-answer question.  A few assorted responses are below.

Student Responses

Never.

I will either watch the surge of COVID and then judge the situation again. Or probably not until graduation because I want to be able to enjoy it fully and I’ll deal with the consequences alone afterwards without potentially harming others.

Peer pressure or harassment.

Until I’m the only one and there haven’t been any cases for at least a month.

I don’t know.

After the school year.

I think I’d just want to wait for a couple weeks and gauge how it’s going and what the levels of new cases are. If they’re consistently very low, then yes I’d feel comfortable no longer wearing a mask to school. 

Maybe after a couple of the batch tests come back as totally negative or with possibly one positive.

I’m not sure if I’ll feel comfortable not wearing a mask until I have possibly had another booster or something similar.

When COVID-19 numbers drop down to almost nothing in Seattle/Kenmore.

When the numbers are steadily below 500 new cases per day, or until I feel safe enough.

Near May.

I think it would be hard because now that’s the new normal. If I don’t wear my mask it’ll feel like my face is naked lol.

I’m also doing it for and with my friends and the people who are immune compromised within their families. So I’m not really sure. 

Near the end of the school year, likely May or June, but I might continue to wear my mask until the 2022-2023 school year starts.

Once more people come to the fact that choosing not to wear a mask doesn’t automatically affiliate you with the right leaning political side I will feel more comfortable bc tbh i don’t want anyone thinking I’m an anti masker or anything but i would prefer to not wear masks anymore.

Teacher Responses

End of March.

I am not sure.  I am going to see how the next few months go.

When anti-virals are widely available to all.  When we have an effective HEPA system.  When we have reasonable class sizes.

Depends on what happens.  Watch the data.  See if infections increase.

I don’t want to breathe anyone’s air and I like not getting sick.

Right now almost 200 people a week are dying of COVID-19 in Washington State.  When that number gets to about 20 per week I might relax a bit.

When we go a couple weeks without a positive batch.

I think if I knew how many students/staff were vaccinated, I’d feel way more comfortable being 100% mask free.

Next school year if no other variants have spread like Omicron.

Hopefully after spring break, but if numbers shoot up, I might change my mind.

I do feel that I will be discriminated against and judged for not wearing a mask MORE than if I were wearing the mask.  I think our particular region of the world discriminates more heavily against non-wearers than wearers and folks often do assign that choice with political affiliation even though mine has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with placing a high value on natural human interaction and working to move past the fear that has permeated our country for the past two years. 

When 99% of students stop masking, then I will too.  Until then I will mask to support students who choose to mask.

I’m not sure! I’m going to NOT wear a mask when I’m teaching (15 feet away from everyone), but I will wear one when working with students one-on-one.

Assorted “Other Answers” – On Saturday, March 12, Inglemoor High School will become mask-optional. When school returns on Monday, March 14, will you continue wearing a mask to school?    

Student Responses

I’m going to wear it in a couple classes, but take it off in others.

I REALLY want to take off my mask. But situations like teachers talking about moving kids who don’t wear masks to separate table-groups makes me feel unsafe and segregated, just from choosing something in my benefit. I think this exclusionary practice or discriminating against students who don’t wear masks needs to go down, because at this point mask-wearing has become more of a social phenomenon than a health related one. People assume that you’re a right-wing radical for saying this, and I think that is extremely incorrect. 

I’ll quit with a mask for most classes, but my math class is too crowded to remove my mask.

I will most likely try to convince my parents to let me stay home.

Depends on how I feel, though most likely I will still be wearing a mask.

Teacher Responses

I will wear it when I am working closely with students (in small groups, 1:1).

I’ll wear one if the student/staff person I’m talking to is wearing one.

I intend to teach with the mask off to help myself project and communicate more effectively. I also want folks to know that I feel confident in our doctors and nurses and their ability to treat and manage this disease. I feel it’s very important for our American way of life to find ways to have mask-wearers and non mask wearers to co-exist peacefully!

I will probably not wear a mask outside or inside when I am more than three feet from others. I will wear a mask in large crowds or when I am in close proximity to others.

It depends on what students AND teachers are doing. I want to make everyone around me feel comfortable.

I will not be wearing a mask unless students or staff whom I am close to ask me to.

Assorted “Other Answers” – If you definitely WILL continue to wear a mask on Monday, March 14, why? Select all that are applicable.

Student Responses

I really enjoy never getting sick.

I can react to people more freely in a mask.

I want to keep sports, music, and have an in-person graduation.

It keeps me warm.

I’m not an idiot.

Gender dysphoria.

Teacher Responses

To model for students and to respect those who are still wearing masks.  I had Covid in January and have had the booster, so I am not very concerned about getting it again.

Children can’t get vaccinated yet.

I want to see how everything plays out before I take off the mask. People will likely be getting sick, whether COVID or cold, etc. because we haven’t had as much exposure to germs for the past few years.

Medical concerns.