Unit 5 and District 87 have different approaches to handling forgetfulness when it comes to student masking. D87 staff were sent an email that explains what happens when a student forgets a mask for a second time.
“Students are to bring their own mask to school. This is a mandatory requirement and part of our safety protocols. If a student forgets a mask they will be given one. However, if a student forgets again, we may contact the family to bring one to the school before the student can attend class,” stated in an email sent from D87 administration to staff.
Unit 5 has a different approach.
“While we ask students to bring a mask, we understand they may sometimes forget. We have extra masks on the buses and at the schools and distribute them as needed. Parents do not need to run one out,” said Dayna Brown, Unit 5 Communications Director.
New research has determined that the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased depression, anxiety and social risks among urban, racial, and ethnic minority children aged five to 11 years old compared to the prior six months.
“Our fear is that the pandemic has led to a mental health crisis for both caregivers and children following the incredible stressors that COVID-19 has put on families,” says Andrea Spencer, MD, an adult, child and adolescent psychiatrist at Boston Medical Center.
D87’s student handbooks do not explicitly say the mask is a part of dress code.