O'FALLON, Mo. — Masks will soon be mandatory for students in the Fort Zumwalt school district in St. Charles County.
The move is temporary and scheduled to run until Oct. 18.
“We just bought 30 days, but it’s a band-aid is fixing that bigger problem,” said a pro-mask parent who asked not to be identified. “That bigger problem isn’t the virus, it’s the anger that’s a bigger infection that’s going to affect our kids so much more than anything else.”
A Fort Zumwalt mom asked us to mask her identity because she believes the bullying amongst parents has gotten out of hand.
“We’re modeling for our children the type of behavior that we would never tolerate,” said the unidentified mother.
However, she’s not letting it stop her from supporting mandatory masking in schools.
“Part of the reason we pushed so hard for this mask mandate is that we understand under the current guidance if everybody is masking then no one has to quarantine unless they become symptomatic or actually test positive,” said the mom.
“My children don’t do well in masks, especially my 5-year-old autistic son,” said Ashley Travers.
Ashley Travers' son qualifies for a medical mask exemption, but she isn’t interested in receiving special treatment.
“The minute that I get him something that says he is, and he doesn’t have to wear a mask when other kids do that makes him different,” said Travers. “I’ve worked my entire life to prove to him that he’s not.”
That’s why Travers is going to home school her sons, but she doesn’t place any blame with their teachers.
“My hope is that 30 days we see the numbers go down and it gets put back to optional masks in the schools again and we can send our kids back,” said Travers.
“I really do feel for the parents who have opposing viewpoints and I understand their frustration because I’ve been in their shoes,” said the anonymous mother.
The Fort Zumwalt mask mandate is scheduled to begin Sept. 23.