Dr. Lutz and School Board Members,

It has come to our attention that It has been decided to require our Student Athletes to wear masks during basketball games, and practices. It has also come to our attention that schools whom we have been scheduled to play and are not requiring masks are cancelling games with Baldwin. Consequently, we have learned that refusal to play against teams that do not require masks may exclude us from participation in WPIAL playoffs. We as the parents of both the boys and girls basketball players feel this is an unsafe and unnecessary precaution and may end up causing more harm than good for our children, and are asking you to reconsider and allow our children to play without masks. Or alternatively, remove the demand that other districts impose mandatory mask rules while playing against our teams.

We do not want to make this a “scientific” discussion as to the efficacy of wearing masks versus not wearing masks while involved in athletic events, but we are open to discussions about alternative methods of virus mitigation that do not keep our Children off the Basketball Court this winter and limit their opportunity to play.

This change in policy was unexpected and we feel at least deserves more discussion.

Attached is our online petition signed by the parents of Student Athletes.