We are calling to end the mask mandate for all students of Kamehameha Schools. We stand for personal choice and freedom. It is the right of the any legal parent or guardian to exercise their freedom of choice and decide what is best for their keiki. ‘Ohana and keiki are hurting both mentally and physically from these mandates. We believe something that poses these risks should be optional.

It is the duty of Kamehameha Schools to educate good and industrious leaders of Hawai’i, not to make medical decisions for them. No person or entity is in a position to determine when a child is allowed to breathe freely. Although there are medical exemptions, children are still segregated, discriminated and ridiculed. We are calling to make mask-wearing optional so that every person’s medical necessity or personal choice is respected.

Aside from the many negative physical and psychological effects of mask-wearing, children are being coerced into a medical intervention that’s proven to cause more harm than good. Kamehameha Schools must allow it’s students to breathe freely as it is crucial for brain development and overall physical health. Kamehameha Schools, along with the State of Hawaii Department of Education, is doing a huge disservice to these children by mandating masks for the entire school day, including bus rides to and from school.

There are extensive measures in place for Kamehameha School students which include daily wellness checks, social distancing, contact tracing and access to vaccinations. These precautions provide more than enough protection against possible transmission of illness. Please stand with us in support of our basic rights and help end the mask mandate for Kamehameha Schools. Ultimately, we hope that Kamehameha Schools will follow their deep-rooted values and lead by example in doing what is right for the future of Hawai’i.