The school board reversed the mandate and masks are officially optional for our kids. This win belongs to everyone who stood firm. Keep watching the board meetings to ensure this decision remains the policy.
August 25, 2021
Final supporters
Please visit www.UnmaskOurKidsZionsvilleCommunitySchools.com to SIGN OUR LETTER, STAY CONNECTED & INFORMED.
SIGN OUR LETTER: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE ZCS ADMINISTRATION AND BOT
Make masking optional for parents and students of Zionsville Community Schools (ZCS).
***Contribution Request*** Please note: Funds DO NOT go to support Unmask Our Kids Zionsville. They go to iPetions ***
As Zionsville Community Schools (ZCS) parents and guardians, relatives, and other concerned citizens who are committed to the holistic health and well-being of our community and our children who attend ZCS schools, we are grateful for your leadership in offering in-person learning since the beginning of the school year, staying the course during the fall’s seasonal virus surge, and continuing to increase the number of school group activities and events.
We now invite you to bravely build on that leadership tradition by unmasking our children — especially in light of Indiana's Governor, Eric Holcomb’s recent signing of the executive order that ends he indoor mask requirement for students and K-12 school workers on June 30 and his earlier decision to end the statewide mandate in early April— because we know the following to be true:
- Children are not drivers of COVID transmission. Thus, regardless of mask policy, we would expect to see limited transmission in schools and from children to adults. See evidence.
- COVID is less dangerous to children than seasonal flu, not to mention other everyday risks we accept as a normal part of a child’s life. See evidence.
- Masks are, at best, credibly disputed as a virus mitigation measure by decades of quality research, as well as observed results of mask mandates around the world, and, at worst, possibly dangerous. See evidence.
Without overwhelming evidence – not lab studies that suggest “mechanistic plausibility” while real-life results around the world prove otherwise, but real-world evidence – that masking children leads to long-term, positive, holistic health outcomes for a range of health issues and doesn’t actually harm our children, we must abandon this misguided attempt to singularly control a flu-like virus through experimental interventions and suspension of individual liberties.
Children have suffered enough. They have paid a steep price for our fear, bearing a burden that was not only unwarranted, but also, as locations around the world have shown us, completely unnecessary. It is our job to protect our children, not the other way around.
Given these truths, we know it is safe to end mandatory masking for our children. Additionally, according to minutes from your June 14, 2021 BOT meeting, there is a percentage of staff and families that support removing the mask mandate and start the 2021-2022 school year without masks. As such, we prefer that the unmasking happen immediately through a simple announcement that masks are now optional.
However, we recognize that outsized fear of COVID has become entrenched thanks to ceaseless, one-sided messaging and censorship by politicians, health officials, media, big tech, and big pharma. As a result, there will be some who fear unmasking. Therefore, we propose a 9-point plan for ZCS schools to unmask our children, sooner rather than later. This plan allows people to opt-in or out in phases, depending on their real or perceived risk, so they can ease back into an unmasked school environment with increasing confidence.
Click to view the proposed plan
We appreciate that you are taking our proposal seriously. We are open to feedback and welcome a dialogue to help our district return to normal as quickly as possible.
We also recognize that you are under immense pressure, and that it is difficult to blaze a trail in controversial territory, particularly when so many are heavily invested in universal masking as a COVID mitigation strategy. That’s why we are also contacting our neighbors and other public officials to urge them to abandon the notion of mask mandates and any recommendations to universally mask.
If there is more, we can do to help you, please let us know. We aim to give you as much support as possible to boldly do the right thing for our children.
In closing, we want to reiterate what we said at the start of this letter: We are genuinely grateful for your leadership in offering in-person learning this entire school year, even as virus transmission surged when emotions and fear were peaking. That took guts! When some of us shared our experience with friends and family around the country, they were stunned that our schools didn’t miss a beat. We tell that story with pride and hope that our little town can show the world how safe in-person learning is. Now, the data from other courageous places around the world make us confident that it will be just as safe — and more enjoyable — with optional masks.
Let’s keep leading the way!
Updates
July 29, 2021
The school board continues to ignore our requests for a change in policy. Post our link to your Facebook page and send an email to your board representative today to force them to address this issue.
July 29, 2021
The momentum we have built proves our community is ready for a change in policy. Post the link to our website on your Facebook page today. Email your school board representatives and demand that they listen to our request for optional masking.
Reached 100 supporters
July 29, 2021
32 Comments
Don’t punish our youngest and least vulnerable group of children for having a 93.4% vaccination rate in our school district.
There has been a 1500% increase in adolescent psych transfers 2020 to 2021 reported in June at Riley Hospital!!! My husband is Medical Director of the Emergency Dept there and get this data first hand. We need to put an end to this nonsense!
Masks can be breeding grounds for infections from bacteria, mold and fungi. The CDC advises washing your hand before and after taking your mask off. Pretending that children, let alone adults, are taking these precautions is absurd. Masking children is cruel and unnecessary!! If you don’t lift the mask mandate while the children are in the school building, I hope you at least see the wisdom of allowing them to play outside without the masks.
Our kids have suffered enough with the back and forth from the medical, governmental and educational communities that hold their mental health hostage against a fear that is unfounded. There is no proven evidence that stop the spread of a virus that may not even be spread by children. In fact there are theories and studies that indicate the virus could be trapped by a mask not to mention the effects of kids not bring able to breathe properly while trying to learn. Enough is enough.
Parents should be given the choice to decide this for their children. We are informed and responsible for our children NOT the board members or superintendent. This has to stop!
With a vaccination rate as high as ours, there is NO reason to wear masks. How many times were we told last year, the cases weren’t coming from the schools. Free the children
I think that it's ludicrous that they're making the children go thru this unnecessary burden. The left is always preaching "follow the science" yet they don't follow it themselves. Pure ignorance to subject our little ones to this mandate. Shame, shame, shame on this board. Vote them OUT!
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The school board reversed the mandate and masks are officially optional for our kids. This win belongs to everyone who stood firm. Keep watching the board meetings to ensure this decision remains the policy.
August 25, 2021
Final supporters
Please visit www.UnmaskOurKidsZionsvilleCommunitySchools.com to SIGN OUR LETTER, STAY CONNECTED & INFORMED.
SIGN OUR LETTER: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE ZCS ADMINISTRATION AND BOT
Make masking optional for parents and students of Zionsville Community Schools (ZCS).
***Contribution Request*** Please note: Funds DO NOT go to support Unmask Our Kids Zionsville. They go to iPetions ***
As Zionsville Community Schools (ZCS) parents and guardians, relatives, and other concerned citizens who are committed to the holistic health and well-being of our community and our children who attend ZCS schools, we are grateful for your leadership in offering in-person learning since the beginning of the school year, staying the course during the fall’s seasonal virus surge, and continuing to increase the number of school group activities and events.
We now invite you to bravely build on that leadership tradition by unmasking our children — especially in light of Indiana's Governor, Eric Holcomb’s recent signing of the executive order that ends he indoor mask requirement for students and K-12 school workers on June 30 and his earlier decision to end the statewide mandate in early April— because we know the following to be true:
- Children are not drivers of COVID transmission. Thus, regardless of mask policy, we would expect to see limited transmission in schools and from children to adults. See evidence.
- COVID is less dangerous to children than seasonal flu, not to mention other everyday risks we accept as a normal part of a child’s life. See evidence.
- Masks are, at best, credibly disputed as a virus mitigation measure by decades of quality research, as well as observed results of mask mandates around the world, and, at worst, possibly dangerous. See evidence.
Without overwhelming evidence – not lab studies that suggest “mechanistic plausibility” while real-life results around the world prove otherwise, but real-world evidence – that masking children leads to long-term, positive, holistic health outcomes for a range of health issues and doesn’t actually harm our children, we must abandon this misguided attempt to singularly control a flu-like virus through experimental interventions and suspension of individual liberties.
Children have suffered enough. They have paid a steep price for our fear, bearing a burden that was not only unwarranted, but also, as locations around the world have shown us, completely unnecessary. It is our job to protect our children, not the other way around.
Given these truths, we know it is safe to end mandatory masking for our children. Additionally, according to minutes from your June 14, 2021 BOT meeting, there is a percentage of staff and families that support removing the mask mandate and start the 2021-2022 school year without masks. As such, we prefer that the unmasking happen immediately through a simple announcement that masks are now optional.
However, we recognize that outsized fear of COVID has become entrenched thanks to ceaseless, one-sided messaging and censorship by politicians, health officials, media, big tech, and big pharma. As a result, there will be some who fear unmasking. Therefore, we propose a 9-point plan for ZCS schools to unmask our children, sooner rather than later. This plan allows people to opt-in or out in phases, depending on their real or perceived risk, so they can ease back into an unmasked school environment with increasing confidence.
Click to view the proposed plan
We appreciate that you are taking our proposal seriously. We are open to feedback and welcome a dialogue to help our district return to normal as quickly as possible.
We also recognize that you are under immense pressure, and that it is difficult to blaze a trail in controversial territory, particularly when so many are heavily invested in universal masking as a COVID mitigation strategy. That’s why we are also contacting our neighbors and other public officials to urge them to abandon the notion of mask mandates and any recommendations to universally mask.
If there is more, we can do to help you, please let us know. We aim to give you as much support as possible to boldly do the right thing for our children.
In closing, we want to reiterate what we said at the start of this letter: We are genuinely grateful for your leadership in offering in-person learning this entire school year, even as virus transmission surged when emotions and fear were peaking. That took guts! When some of us shared our experience with friends and family around the country, they were stunned that our schools didn’t miss a beat. We tell that story with pride and hope that our little town can show the world how safe in-person learning is. Now, the data from other courageous places around the world make us confident that it will be just as safe — and more enjoyable — with optional masks.
Let’s keep leading the way!
Updates
July 29, 2021
The school board continues to ignore our requests for a change in policy. Post our link to your Facebook page and send an email to your board representative today to force them to address this issue.
July 29, 2021
The momentum we have built proves our community is ready for a change in policy. Post the link to our website on your Facebook page today. Email your school board representatives and demand that they listen to our request for optional masking.
Reached 100 supporters
July 29, 2021
32 Comments
My kindergartener never left his room last year for Art, science, or music. He ate lunch in his same seat, even though he is tall and his knees didn’t fit under the small plastic desk that was used for social distancing purposes. As a parent, I was sad that there were no field trips or class parties to attend….. but it was TRULY DEVASTATING that he did not learn to read and understand the phonics of speech due to the mask mandate. We know that mask covering greatly affects facial processing and understanding for this vulnerable age group. Please give us a choice and consider the impact of student well being, affective response, socialization, and the overall achievement levels of our children that will be affected if a mandate is placed.
Don’t punish our youngest and least vulnerable group of children for having a 93.4% vaccination rate in our school district.
There has been a 1500% increase in adolescent psych transfers 2020 to 2021 reported in June at Riley Hospital!!! My husband is Medical Director of the Emergency Dept there and get this data first hand. We need to put an end to this nonsense!
Masks can be breeding grounds for infections from bacteria, mold and fungi. The CDC advises washing your hand before and after taking your mask off. Pretending that children, let alone adults, are taking these precautions is absurd. Masking children is cruel and unnecessary!! If you don’t lift the mask mandate while the children are in the school building, I hope you at least see the wisdom of allowing them to play outside without the masks.
Our kids have suffered enough with the back and forth from the medical, governmental and educational communities that hold their mental health hostage against a fear that is unfounded. There is no proven evidence that stop the spread of a virus that may not even be spread by children. In fact there are theories and studies that indicate the virus could be trapped by a mask not to mention the effects of kids not bring able to breathe properly while trying to learn. Enough is enough.
Parents should be given the choice to decide this for their children. We are informed and responsible for our children NOT the board members or superintendent. This has to stop!
With a vaccination rate as high as ours, there is NO reason to wear masks. How many times were we told last year, the cases weren’t coming from the schools. Free the children
I think that it's ludicrous that they're making the children go thru this unnecessary burden. The left is always preaching "follow the science" yet they don't follow it themselves. Pure ignorance to subject our little ones to this mandate. Shame, shame, shame on this board. Vote them OUT!
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My kindergartener never left his room last year for Art, science, or music. He ate lunch in his same seat, even though he is tall and his knees didn’t fit under the small plastic desk that was used for social distancing purposes. As a parent, I was sad that there were no field trips or class parties to attend….. but it was TRULY DEVASTATING that he did not learn to read and understand the phonics of speech due to the mask mandate. We know that mask covering greatly affects facial processing and understanding for this vulnerable age group. Please give us a choice and consider the impact of student well being, affective response, socialization, and the overall achievement levels of our children that will be affected if a mandate is placed.