Petition to Local School Districts and the CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Tony Thurmond) against enacting the CDC’s overreaching guidelines for reopening our Schools.
We ask that Superintendents and the CA Department of Education, fairly address the various needs of children and make reasonable re-opening adjustments. We ask that all School Districts balance protecting children’s mental health, education, their social-emotional well-being, and psychological stability when deciding which policy alterations to incorporate into school policy.
We ask that Superintendents and Tony Thurmond (CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction) implement the following guidelines for CA schools:
Let children return to thriving in an uninhibited traditional learning environment. The school-wide implementation of social distancing will be catastrophic to children’s mental health, cognitive development; social skills; emotional stability and safety; connection to their peers and teachers; academic concentration and success; and their sense of identity.
Let masks be optional for all students. Schools should not be implementing guidelines that are stricter than the CDC suggestions, which at most encourage but do not require mask wearing.
Mask mandates pose serious potential health hazards for children. If worn for hours, it can reduce blood oxygenation as much as 20%, which can lead to a loss of consciousness and headaches.
It can lead to a drop in oxygen levels (hypoxia), which is associated with an impairment in immunity.
Additionally, at risk children include: those with asthma, hearing impairments, those with disabilities, and sensory problems. With faces covered, young children will be unable to read facial expressions.
There have been extensive randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies, and meta-analysis reviews of RCT studies, which all show that masks and respirators do not work to prevent respiratory influenza-like illnesses, or respiratory illnesses believed to be transmitted by droplets and aerosol particles.
Mask mandates will result in liability for schools.
Return to in-class instruction. If necessary reduce class sizes, incorporate logical sanitization measures, symptom checking by parents at home, and staggered schedules. With safety measures in place, this allows for use of play facilitates, participation in extra-curricular activities, sports, and the return to more traditional learning in the Fall.
Schools are already facing massive budget cuts for the Fall and cannot afford to lose enrollment. Should the CDC guidelines be fully adopted, many parents will be forced into a decision to homeschool their children to protect them. A choice which will result in dozens of school closures across California, resulting in potential insolvency and detrimental costs to the department of education.
We urge School Districts across California to make the correct choice for children everywhere.
Sincerely,
PERK
We have additional resources to support your conversations and actions rejecting the detrimental CDC guidelines for children: including sample letters, resource links, public comment and questions support, talking points, and more.