Submitted by: Sarah Hess

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue to make masks mandatory. Twice this year my child has been exposed to a COVID positive case while at in class and the only thing protecting him is the mask. Obviously children are getting the virus and and therefore need to continue to wear a mask while at school. Thank you.

Submitted by: Kassidy Bishop

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Masks on students needs to end. Our children deserve to enjoy school without masks. Charter schools haven’t had masks the entire year and children have been thriving. IF a child chooses to wear a mask, that should be a choice they’re allowed to make. IF a family is uncomfortable with a mask free school, then lucky for them we all know that global is an option. It’s too hot & it’s too uncomfortable for our kids to have cloths over their faces all day. Enough is enough.

Submitted by: Ryan Steving

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please follow the guidance of our Governor eliminating the mandatory mask requirement for students.

Submitted by: Elizabeth Garcia

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: PLEASE continue to enforce a mask mandate. It really isn't that big of a deal to wear, but not having them on WILL spread this to other students. I have two AVID kids that come to school for AVID and one other class only. If you remove the mask mandate, they will not be able to stay in person and will lose the ability to get their CTE credit for AVID their senior year. It is so close to the end - why have kids have to switch to online? Thank you for your consideration.

Submitted by: Autumn Frey

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: PLEASE let the issue of masks be decided by individual families. If parents want their kids in a mask, let them wear a mask. If they don't, please don't make them.

Submitted by: Lindsay Carroll

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a concern parent, an active working nurse, and a concern citizen; I am writing to advocate for the continuation of the mask requirements while on campus. Covid is not over. Cases are trending up in other parts of the country, variants are causing a distressing change to what we know about covid. Im thrilled that vaccination efforts have created a good number of citizens vaccinated and that our great teachers were offered the opportunity early on to receive it. However, class sizes are high, ability to keep children spread 6 ft apart is impossible, and currently children are not eligible for the vaccinations. It would be irresponsible to lift the mask mandate now. Kathy Hoffman herself stated her disdain for this change in policy from our Governor; please keep this in mind as you make this big decision. Thank you.

Submitted by: John Fleming

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Based on the Governor's Executive Order, the children should not be required to wear masks any longer, especially in the elementary setting where the case numbers in children (not staff) has been almost non existent.

Submitted by: Michelle Wolfley

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a parent of 4 children at GPS, I am requesting to remove the mask mandate at the schools! Enough is enough and our children, teachers and staff are suffering from it with the loss of jobs due to parents pulling their kids out of the district to attend other schools! No more masks please!

Submitted by: Beth Jobe

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please remove the mask mandate per Governor Ducey's order. Our children should NOT be required to wear a mask at school!

Submitted by: Shannon Devine

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue to require masks. It is a simple thing that takes little effort to help protect our children who (many) do not have the authorization to get vaccinated at this point!!!!

Submitted by: Teisha N Bruyn

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: This is not an easy decision and I know parents are terrible vocal to your board. All I ask as a parent of 2 gilbert students is to make it through the next few weeks of school uninterrupted and focused on testing and finishing the year strong.

Submitted by: Bruce Wilcoxon

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I believe it is in the best interest of the safety of our students and their families that masks continue to be required inside the school and during school functions for the remainder of the school year.

Submitted by: Megan Weaver

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please lift the mask mandate and give parents the freedom to choose whether their child wears one!

Submitted by: Jeri Dow

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I'm writing to request that you keep mask mandate and other covid-19 precautions at all schools until such time that a vaccine is available for learners at that age group or until adult herd immunity is reached (including at the school level) to help protect learners. Our children under 16 are still ineligible for the vaccine and we have yet to reach adult herd immunity level with the vaccine; it's too early to roll back mask mandates and other precautions, particularly when we are so close to finishing out the school year. Keep our kids, teachers, and staff safe. The science does not support mask removal at this juncture. I will be hesitant to send my child back to the brick and mortar campus in the fall if you fail to protect learners with appropriate measures.

Submitted by: Jessica Wilton

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear School Board Members and Superintendent McCord,

Regardless of your opinions or beliefs, this has been a very challenging school year for everyone. My family has chosen to be cautious with our activities and minimize the risk of exposure of the virus to other people. Our children chose to try online schooling for the beginning of the year. Our family encountered several disappointing challenges with the Global Academy option. We opted to return our children in person to enhance their learning and social experiences. We would appreciate stability through the end of this school year. Only one month remains, please do not make more changes now. Removing the mask mandate would create more stress for our children during an already stressful time of state testing. With regards to Governor Ducey lifting the statewide order on mask use and putting the decision making responsibility on all of you, I strongly urge you to follow the guidance of the CDC and maintain the requirement to wear a mask on school campuses through the end of the school year or until the CDC recommends otherwise. I know many people have a desire to get back to "normal" - I do, too. I hope that we can agree that we should be taking advice on the pandemic, coronavirus, COVID-19, and steps to get back to normal from the CDC. The name of the organization says it all: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the CDC's job to research and understand diseases and make recommendations to minimize risk. The following links provide the most current recommendations from the CDC regarding mask use and information for school administrators. Guidance on COVID safety at schools from the CDC, last updated April 5, 2021: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html From this page, the "Masks in Schools" link takes you to the following guidance on mask use from the CDC, last updated April 19, 2021: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcommunity%2Fschools-childcare%2Fcloth-face-cover.html more easily accessed by the following link to the same page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html I sent screen captures of each of these webpages by email. The CDC clearly indicates that mask use is still warranted and is the recommended course of action to continue to slow the virus. To reiterate, we would appreciate stability through the end of this school year. Only one month remains, please do not make more changes now. Our children have endured enough stress this school year. Please don't add more stress by removing the mask requirement during the already stressful time of state testing. Sincerely, Jessica Wilton

Submitted by: Tera Nelson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: With only five weeks of school left I think that we should keep with the current mitigation strategies. Unfortunately only those 16 and older have had an opportunity to receive a vaccine that leaves everyone 16 and under still susceptible to disease. I think that you can start off the following school year with masks being optional but don’t really see the need to change with five weeks of the year left.

Submitted by: Lisa Moore

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I ask that the board please consider continuing with strong mitigation efforts, especially including the wearing of masks. Many employees, including myself, go home to family members who are extremely vulnerable. I am thankful that many have their vaccines, but many people are only just getting the second dose. In addition, the vaccine is not 100% effective. We have such a short time to the end of this school year, let's make it the safest we can for everyone involved. Thank you.

Submitted by: Meri Caryl

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue to mandate that masks be worn at all times on campus for the health and protection of the students and staff.

Submitted by: Mindi Cadden

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: The children are in one another’s faces at recess and lunch with no mask, they play outside of school, numbers are not high enough to support a pandemic any longer. Vaccinations are easily accessed at day times at your local Walgreens, it’s time to remove the dirty face coverings we have on our children that are filled with dirt and pollen after being whipped around while worn on their wrists at recess. Nobody agrees with the Governors policies but let’s stop taking that out on the children, several schools no longer require masks, GPS needs to hold on to the kids they have right now or more teachers will be RIFed, parents are looking for the final straw to take off and this could very well be it. For anyone saying good riddens, there goes a teachers livelihood in Gilbert. It’s time to bring families back to GPS, it’s a higher socioeconomic area and it is not a problem for a parent to take their kid to a charter school, they don’t “need” GPS like some other areas need their public schools. Parents CHOOSE Gilbert, please validate that they made a good choice and opt for face coverings “recommendations” NOT mandates! Thank you.

Submitted by: Melissa Romero-Aleshire

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I would like to express my support of keeping face masks mandatory for school, both for students and for staff. No children below the age of 16 are eligible for vaccination and it would be irresponsible to remove this protection in a pandemic. As a healthcare professional I strongly disagree with the governor’s order and hope that the district keeps the health and safety of our children at the forefront of practice. Thank you.

Submitted by: Theodore D. Standage

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep all covid safeguards in place for the rest of the school year! It’s safer for everyone (please listen to the science and public health experts, NOT politicians...). Next school year would be the proper time to relax restrictions, when there (hopefully, and assuming good vaccinations rates continue) should be a sufficient amount of protection in the community at large. PLEASE put the safety of our kids, teachers, staff, and communities above this desire to end restrictions early. Thank you.

Submitted by: Kari Pendleton

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: A study published by Vainshelboim B. Facemasks in the COVID-19 era: A health hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 2021 Jan;146:110411. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110411. Epub 2020 Nov 22. PMID: 33303303; PMCID: PMC7680614. shows the ineffectiveness and actual danger masks pose to wearers. Please take this into consideration moving forward.

Submitted by: Bethany Hamilton

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: A plea from a parent. For the mental and physical well being of our amazing, wonderful children - please make mask wearing optional. Please honor the beauty of free choice in this country and allow us to make responsible and respectful decisions for our own families and children. Please allow these kids to see the smiling faces again of their peers, teachers and other educators. Please embrace natural human connection and bring some normalcy and social health back to our schools. Thank you!

Submitted by: Jana Berrelleza

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: First of all, I just want to thank you for all you do for the school district and community during this terribly difficult year. I know it hasn't been easy, but want you to know you as a parent, I appreciate you and empathize with the challenges you have faced this past year as local government has offloaded very difficult decisions to you. I'd just like to comment about the face mask policy. As a parent of young children who will be unable to get the Covid vaccine anytime soon, I'd like to encourage you to keep the face mask mandate in place, at least until the end of the school year. Removing these mandates feels premature as many adults still aren't able to get the Covid vaccine because of not being able to find an appointment AND the 6-ish weeks it takes for the vaccine to take full effect. Let's stay aligned with other local school districts that are keeping the mask mandate and give it the summer to see how things pan out. I appreciate all of you, thank you for taking the time to read these comments.

Submitted by: Brad Freed

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: The school year is almost over and it won't hurt to keep masks until the end of the 2021 school year.

Submitted by: Jacqueline Avila

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I hope we are not thinking of removing the mandate on Mask wearing! My Daughter has been exposed twice in the last 4 to 5 days in 2 classrooms. We only have 28 days of School left, lets ride it out. The People opposed to mask wearing are the same people not getting vaccinated, and exposing their Children, and their Children exposing my Child. HELP keep MY CHILD SAFE and HEALTHY from Covid at least till the end of the year.

Submitted by: Troy Adams

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: I am please asking the board to not allow the removal of mandatory face masks. I already have students scared to come to school after the news yesterday, and many teachers are very, very uncomfortable with the idea. I understand that you try to please the demographic, but please, if they don't want to wear masks, let them do that in their own house/ place of work, not mine. It honestly feels like you keep eating at your staff, and I am not sure if we can take much more. Thank-you for your time.

Submitted by: Michelle Butler

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear GPS Governing Board members, please keep the mask mandate in place for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Most school age children are not eligible to be vaccinated and this is an easy way to protect them and others from getting the coronavirus - which is still around. My daughter is a sophomore at Gilbert Classical Academy and she told me that school is the one place she feels safe from the virus - because masks are required and the students and teachers are very good about wearing them. She wants to change to online learning if masks become optional - and that will not be a good option for her, as her grades suffered in late 2020 when she chose to be online/flex. (I'm not even sure if that is an option this late in the year - and I would hate to have her miss the last 4 weeks of school. Thank you for all you do and for your consideration!

Submitted by: April Faris

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please follow other community schools and let masks be optional at this point. Our kids need to get back to normal.

Submitted by: Suzanne Lunt

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: Here's an idea for phasing in masks - maybe begin with the youngest students to go mask-free? My kinders don't wear their masks very effectively! :) And possibly allow vaccinated staff members to go without masks? I support you in whatever decision you make! :)

Submitted by: Regina Mayes

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Governing Board Members, I am writing you today to urge that you keep the mask requirement in place for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. There are only 6 weeks left and students/staff are used to the current requirement. The rate of Covid-19 spread in our communities is still in the substantial range. Although the vaccines have been available, there are still a number of community members including high school students that have not been able to receive one or both of their vaccines. Finishing the school year with the mask requirement in place allows more time for the community to get vaccinated. Our own family had been utilizing Gilbert Global Academy until our high-risk family members were vaccinated and then we had our children return to in-person learning at Gilbert Elementary with the understanding that masks were required. If masks are no longer required, we will need to seriously consider the best place for our children to continue their education for the remainder of this school year. I also serve as the PTSO Co-Vice President and we have a fundraiser scheduled, in which the vendor agreed to with the understanding that we had a mask requirement in place. If the mask requirement changes, I believe it could have implications for our fundraiser and the vendor staff. With only six weeks left in the school year, I urge you to keep the current requirement in place. Thank you for your service and time.

Submitted by: Amanda Kosik

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please consider making masks optional for children going forward. I’ve had an issue with the mandating of masks on children since the beginning of this “rule” by GPS and enforcing of the EO by the governor. Implementation of a mandatory medical device (a face covering or mask) doesn’t allow children or parents to make choices that best suit their body and their own bodily autonomy. Just like all other medical procedures or devices, it should be a choice. There has been significant evidentiary material that has come out stating that masks are not effective including this newest one : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33303303/ Please consider making it a CHOICE for children going forward. After all, if masks work, the unmasked shouldn’t be a risk to the masked. I appreciate your time and consideration.

Submitted by: Misti L Westphal

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please make wearing a mask optional. Thank you.

Submitted by: Sara Wilner

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I respectfully request that the board consider discontinuing the current mask policy. As the parent of a child with special needs I feel we can do without masks. I would like the board to consider making masks voluntary for students and staff. Given the fact that the Governor has rescinded his mandate for school it seems like a reasonable compromise.

Submitted by: Kyle Nobile

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the mask mandate in place through the rest of the year. At this point we have 5 weeks left in the semester. There is literally no upside to removing the mandate now. There is only downside. The CDC still recommends the usage of masks (contrary to what Governor Ducey claims). There is just no valid reason to remove the mandate now. We are so close to the end of the semester, just finish it out with masks as recommended. Kids cannot yet be vaccinated and still risk getting sick and bringing it home to their family. As a state we have not yet hit herd immunity with vaccinations and while everyone is eligible, many people still have not been able to schedule vaccination appointments. Just leave the mandate in place for a little bit longer. Once summer is here, you can reevaluate the need for masks, but please just keep them in place for the rest of the spring semester. It simply makes no sense to remove the mandate now and give up all we've gained this close to the finish line. Just wait 5 more weeks, please.

Submitted by: Ben Northcutt

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I’m requesting that the GPS board remove the requirement for students to be mandated to wear a mask. Instead emphasize that children be kept home when not feeling well and allow parents wishing to continue to have their kids wear a mask, may continue to do so, at their own decision. If we are so afraid of this virus, then we should not have opened back up at all. It is time for our kids to be able to have a normal school experience, which includes to forcing them to wear a mask.

Submitted by: Andrée Stahl

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: With only weeks until the end of the year, I believe it is important for everyone to continue wearing masks. Student at GGA are still taking AZM2 tests in person and many may not finish if masks do not continue to be a requirement. Why change the expectations now? What purpose would it serve to be maskless? PLEASE follow CDC guidelines, unlike the governor.

Submitted by: Erica Krick

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep masks required as a mitigation strategy for our district until the end of the school year.

Submitted by: Travis Paul Bartlett

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I would like the school board to consider allowing masking to be an individual choice. By now the mask has proven to be ineffective at controlling community spread, science per the CDC shows that children and elementary School and younger are the least likely to catch and distribute covid-19. The entire teaching staff at settlers point elementary has been vaccinated. There is no need to continue forcing children to wear a mask unless that parent and that child choose to. Should also be up to each individual amongst the staff and they want to continue wearing a mask. For those that choose not to, they should be allowed that choice. The reason I am saying this is because the governor has taken away the power of government across the state to enforce mandates outside of government property. Public property is subject to the individual's choice or that of the business that owns it. As a member of government, I hope that the school board will respect the governor's order and the school will take a position of freedom and individual responsibility instead of a blanket command like they have done in the past. Either way you decide you were going to have people who are upset. The people who would be upset if you chose not to mandate a mask would be those who would choose to wear it regardless. Let them wear it and complain. It is not right to force others who have a different outlook on the wrist and of the danger of covid-19 to decide otherwise. It is the American thing to do and it is being supportive of every individual's right to choose their own health destiny. It is obvious that the school does not need to be shut down because of a covid-19 outbreak. If it was, the governor would not have signed the order he did. It is time for a return to normalcy. The teachers are vaccinated, the children are a very low risk. They're not wearing masks at home, I can promise you that. Even if a teacher where to get colvin, they have been vaccinated which means they will be fine, they will be safe. There is no longer a need to instill fear and teach children to be afraid of things that they really have no scientific reason to be afraid of. You are not teaching children responsibility, you are teaching them conformity to the biggest crybaby in the room. Somebody somewhere has had a loss of a loved one to covid, that has happened even with strict measures put in place. The numbers are identical to other states who are either more relaxed or even more strict than we are in regards to preventative measures. Obviously the science is pointing to that there is no way to control the spread of covid. Weather you wear a mask or you don't, you can still catch a virus. That fact has been known for 100 years because of influenza. Covid is not different in that regard and to continue to treat it as such it's very very ignorant and it really does expose the lack of knowledge that we have learned over the last year. Again, this virus is proving Dr fauci wrong and everyone who adheres to his guidance. States like Florida and Texas are seeing a remarkable drop in cases because they have allowed freedom to breathe to be a priority over that of restricted airway and constantly inhaling one zone bacteria over the course of a day. Any Doctor who tries to tell you otherwise is a fool and is caught up on the gravy train so to speak. It's time to put the fear mongering away and return to what worked in the past. Fresh air, smiling faces and much more will do wonders to school morale both for the students and the staff. Every teacher has been vaccinated at settlers point and there is no more need for anyone to be fearful so I ask that the board allow wearing a mask to be a choice, not a mandate. It is time to trust the science and not the fear. And one last thing, how many of you have gone out to a restaurant or had a get together with friends and family without a mask? How many of you are still alive today? If your answer is yes and yes, I think you already know what the answer should be. Do not be like the other school districts that power behind fear mongering and virtue signaling. Be the school district that leads the way to proper and scientific recovery.

Submitted by: Marya Langford

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I urge the board to continue to require masks in schools for the remainder of this school year, in spite of the Governor’s latest changes. We are so close to the end of the school year and some of us are looking forward to attending events such as graduation safely. Let’s stick it out for a few more weeks and keep our percent positivity down.

Submitted by: Cynthia A Stumer

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I understand that Gov. Ducey stopped the mask mandates but I am requesting you to keep the masks in place inside school buildings. You already moved the desks from 6 feet to 3 feet and the cleaning of desks are lacking (my daughter has to do it herself). The only protection the students have remaining are the masks. The halls are crowded in the high school, etc. There is only one month left of school, please keep the mask mandate in place.

Submitted by: Lori Shechter

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: My family is new to the district and we have been very happy with the education our children receive at both the high school and elementary level. Our daughters’ teachers are wonderful and we are grateful for their diligence and compassion during this unprecedented school year. This has not been an easy school year for anyone. The end of the year is approximately 6 weeks away. We thank the schools for keeping our daughters safe during this pandemic. We are upset Governor Ducey lifted the school mask mandate. For the health and safety of the students and staff at all Gilbert Schools, please continue to mandate mask wearing to prevent the spread of Covid. Most students have not been vaccinated nor have the vaccines been yet approved for children under the age of 16. Lets always remember the safety and well being of the children and staff is of upmost importance at all schools. Please make the responsible decision to continue to keep our schools safe.

Submitted by: Terry Kerr

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please consider removing the mask mandate for student> with this being in place about one year, I vote to remove the mandate especially now with the vaccine and current trends of low risk...

Submitted by: Colton Adams

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Given the Governor’s recent order resending his previous order, what is the purpose of students being requiring to wear masks? The vast majority of the school staff should be vaccinated if the choose to at this point. Given this information and the order from the Governor it should be a personal choice up to each individual family and student at this point.

Submitted by: Ashley

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: The district has said in writing all along that it would follow county / state recommendations on masks. The State and county no longer require masks. Teachers have been vaccinated if desired. The dashboard numbers remain low. Students are NOT propely wearing masks anyway. Time to do stick to your word and remove masks as a mandate. A 5 year old shold not have to wear a mask to school when an adult can go to a packed bar and not have to wear a mask.

Submitted by: Pamela Videbeck

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a mother to a son with several serious medical conditions, and another son with allergies and and asthma, I am begging that you keep the face masks enforced through the remainder of the semester at the very least. These kid do not need any more change this year, they have been out through enough. It’s been drilled into their heads that wearing the masks keep people safe, so it going to be difficult to explain why now suddenly we don’t care about others safety. Please keep the masks enforced on school grounds for the next 5 weeks and let our kids enjoy the end of this school year without interruption. Thank you.

Submitted by: Sarah Taylor

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please follow our governors orders and make masks optional for our young kids.

Submitted by: Tricia Nelson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I beg you to keep face coverings in the school until the school year ends. Kids do not have the vaccine and no decision for them to get one will come until summer. We are already taking enough risk by having our children in school, please don't add more risk. We have already seen enough death regarding Covid-19 and don't need to see it increased by no face coverings in the schools. Please don't something right for a change regarding this virus. Do you want your child sick? Do you want the school district to be responsible if something happens? For God's sake stop and really think about your decision. Stop this madness of going along with those green shirt parents.

Submitted by: Tom Miller

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Should you vote to keep masks on you will kids leaving by the hundreds. The message to parents like me will be this is no longer about kids. You are responsible for the damage done to children. I know I am one parent and will not wait until the end of the years to yank my daughter from your school.

Submitted by: Becky Tremonte

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please make the logical and responsible decision and uphold the mask mandate for Gilbert Public Schools. It is critical that we continue to follow CDC guidelines for mask wearing and similar COVID-19 mitigation measures until all school aged children have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite what Governor Ducey has claimed, the CDC website states (as of 4/20/21), "CDC’s K-12 operational strategy presents a pathway for schools to provide in-person instruction safely through consistent use of prevention strategies, including universal and CORRECT USE OF MASKS AND PHYSICAL DISTANCING." This has been an exhausting year for all, and a devastating year for many. Repealing the mask mandate will: 1. Increase COVID cases and potentially deaths in the district. Surrounding districts have seen remarkably low numbers recently. GPS runs the risk of losing even more families to neighboring districts if it repeals the mask mandate. 2. Increase divisiveness among schools, staff, students, and families. 3. Increase pandemic related anxiety for students, families, and staff. There are only about five weeks of this school year remaining. COVID-19 vaccines will likely be made available for kids as young as 12 within the next couple of months. Please do the RIGHT THING and uphold the mask mandate until all school aged children have access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Submitted by: Julie Landers

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I firmly believe the mask mandate should continue to be enforced and required until at least the end of the school year. It's a very small thing to ask to keep students, employees, and community members safe. If it is rescinded my senior will have to go back to completely on line for the rest of the year, which just doesn't seem right. Those of us that have been following the science and the CDC guidelines for a year keep getting derailed by a small vocal minority in this area and it's really disheartening. I implore you to continue the mask mandate. Thank you for your time.

Submitted by: Alicia Jarman

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: The children and teachers have worn masks long enough. Now that the governor has rescinded the order requiring them the school district needs to step up and do the same.

Submitted by: Sheena Loveless

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Per the Governor’s new order, I feel the governing board should adhere to removing the mask mandate for children in school. There are other health and safety precautions that are effective and have already been in place for years. Teaching the kids personal hygiene, safe distance, and when to stay home if sick are easy to follow and are part of every day life. Forcing children 5 years old and up to wear masks is not normal. It takes away from their ability to interact with their peers by recognizing and learning facial cues and expressions. Especially for those with developmental delays and medical conditions. Children get sick whether or not they wear or don’t wear a mask. It’s part of life. It’s not the end of the world. Children are resilient and should be given the OPTION to wear or not to wear a mask. It’s been over a year since this mandate started and it’s time to end it and move on. Let the kids be kids and enjoy their learning environment with peers. Kids have enough anxiety and worries without having to add masks to the mixture.

Submitted by: Meagan Hebdon

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Vaccines are not approved for children under 16, so it doesn't make sense to remove a face mask requirement at schools yet. Kids come into close contact with each other all day in the classroom and don't yet have the option to get a vaccine. Please do the right thing keep schools a safe place with a face mask requirement.

Submitted by: Julie Boothe

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I know this will be a topic of discussion...whether to continue masks in school. I’m hoping as a school board you can allow families to decide if their kids need to continue wearing masks and remove the school district mask mandate policy...OR at least let the children take them off when seated at their desks and only have to wear them in high traffic times, like in between classes. The kids have been so amazing to put up with having to wear masks all year. It’s time to let them breathe again. Many families have left GPS because of the mask requirement and I know many more will leave before the next school year if the mask requirement is enforced next year. Those parents and students who are concerned can continue wearing them if they choose. But let it be a choice or at least let it be a compromise, where they can remove their masks when seated at their desks. The CDC has already stated that only 3 ft between kids should be required at schools anyway. Thank you for your time in reading this.

Submitted by: Candace Baird

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please consider allowing families to make individual decisions regarding the use of masks for their children. My children, age 5 and 6, ask me everyday if they have to wear masks. Please please please unmask our children

Submitted by: Jack Weaver

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: If the Mask Mandate is NOT lifted and parents wishes respected, we will move both of our children to withdrawal from GPS.

Submitted by: Ryan Buckley

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: Not all staff and students are vaccinated and we do not to my knowledge collect that data from our staff and students. Until our rates of vaccination are high enough face coverings should continue to be worn at school. Face coverings are shown to help stop the spread of COVID 19 and have helped in the classroom. But don't take my word for it. Here is what the CDC reccomends for schools. Guidance for Wearing Masks Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19 Updated Apr. 19, 2021 Print What you need to know When you wear a mask, you protect others as well as yourself. Masks work best when everyone wears one. A mask is NOT a substitute for social distancing. Masks should still be worn in addition to staying at least 6 feet apart, especially when indoors around people who don’t live in your household. Masks should completely cover the nose and mouth and fit snugly against the sides of face without gaps. Masks should be worn any time you are traveling on a plane, bus, train, or other form of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. People age 2 and older should wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in their household.​ Wear a mask inside your home if someone you live with is sick with symptoms of COVID-19 or has tested positive for COVID-19. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol after touching or removing your mask. Masks may not be necessary when you are outside by yourself away from others, or with people who live in your household. However, some areas may have mask mandates while out in public, so please check the rules in your local area (such as in your city, county, or state). Additionally, check whether any federal mask mandates apply to where you will be going. CDC continues to study the effectiveness of different types of masks and update our recommendations as new scientific evidence becomes available. The most recent scientific brief is available here: Scientific Brief: Community Use of Cloth Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 | CDC CDC recently conducted a study in a laboratory that tested the performance of different mask combinations. There are several easy methods to improve the performance of your mask. Visit CDC’s Improve the Fit and Filtration of Your Mask to Reduce the Spread of COVID-19 webpage to learn more. On This Page Evidence for Effectiveness of Masks Who Should Wear A Mask? Types of masks Other Types of Face Protection Evidence for Effectiveness of Masks Your mask helps protect those around you COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets travel into the air when you cough, sneeze, talk, shout, or sing. These droplets can then land in the mouths or noses of people who are near you or they may breathe these droplets in. Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others. Studies show that masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth. You should wear a mask, even if you do not feel sick. This is because several studies have found that people with COVID-19 who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic) and those who are not yet showing symptoms (pre-symptomatic) can still spread the virus to other people. Wearing a mask helps protect those around you, in case you are infected but not showing symptoms. It is especially important to wear a mask when you are indoors with people you do not live with and when you are unable to stay at least 6 feet apart since COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another.

Submitted by: Kristin Jose

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: My daughter is an Amanecer preschool student with an IEP. She has multiple disabilities, and so to keep her safe this school year, we opted for online preschool within GPS. Obviously we would prefer to send her to school in person, but under the circumstances, we are grateful for the online program. My daughter has benefited from it. But online is not something all parents can manage, and disabled kids especially benefit from going to campus in person for therapies. So my question is, now that you get to choose, will GPS choose to continue the Covid mitigation strategies that are necessary to keep disabled students safe on campus? I am worried that for the next school year, before there is a vaccine for my daughter, GPS may remove Covid mitigation strategies like required masking. If you make that change and choose not to require masks, I know I would not feel safe sending my daughter to a GPS campus next year. I also have heard that there is no guarantee you will offer an online program for preschool next year. If you remove Covid mitigations and don’t continue online preschool, it will mean my daughter has no safe place in Gilbert Schools until she can get vaccinated. I understand that statewide there has been a decrease in preschool enrollment, but if parents don’t feel safe sending their kids to campuses, I think you should expect enrollment to fall even further. Please, for the sake of your disabled students who are most in need of being on campus in person and who are also at greatest risk if they become ill, I ask you to keep all of your current Covid mitigation strategies in place until there is a vaccine for all children. Otherwise, you risk squeezing kids like my daughter out of your school system. The pandemic has been especially difficult and frightening for people with underlying medical conditions. Please don’t do anything that will make this harder.

Submitted by: deborah diaz

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep our kids safe. They are doing fine with the masks, and cannot be vaccinated at this time. I do not want to take any chances of an increase in cases.

Submitted by: Michelle Hironaka

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: In light of the governors recent announcement lifting they requirement for schools to have students and staff wear masks, as a parent and an educator I request that the board stay the course and require masks, at minimum, for the remainder of the 20/21 school year. There are plenty of health reasons supported by the CDC, it’s just a handful of weeks longer and the students are already used to it-please don’t make them have another change!!

Submitted by: Jennifer Margetis

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a mother and Registered Nurse I have three children attending GPS at the moment. I hope that the face masks will NOT be a requirement anymore. Thank you.

Submitted by: Greg Stafford

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Follow the Science and not the squeaky wheels. We are far from "out of the woods" and it would be in the best interest of this District to keep the "Masks On While In School Rule" for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. The science shows Arizona and the East Valley are not at a point that going mask free is the safe choice. Choose to respect your employees, choose to be a leader for the community, and most of all choose to protect our children.

Submitted by: Heather Goodwin

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the masks required in schools for the remainder of the year! As I'm writing this, there are only 27 days of school remaining. Let's finish this strong and healthy!!

Submitted by: Jennifer Holland

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please do not follow Ducey's lead and remove the mask mandate. Cases are on the rise, children do get COVID and do spread COVID. Masks work. We have less than six weeks of school left. PLEASE PLEASE do not remove the mask mandate. KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE. This is not a large lift or ask. It's reasonable and is the only choice if you care about the kids in this district.

Submitted by: Victoria Edelhoff

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Get a head of the law suits, you are taking on personal and school district liability mandating medical devices to the school children and families. 

Submitted by: Lindsay Nicole

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please remove the mask mandate or at least make it optional so parents can choose if they want to make their kids wear one or not.

Submitted by: Brooke

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I implore all of the governing board members to realize that when this all started, it was two weeks to flatten the curve. This curve now seems to be never ending and this new normal doesn’t sit well with my family. There’s been countless studies and doctors who’ve been silenced. The msm has been proven to serve a political agenda that has our freedoms in their grips, giving those that want to be in charge of their lives no choice but to obey the very government that has been silencing our communities and have also been caught in lies themselves. I for one don’t believe the flu and common cold has been virtually erased, instead that they’ve been renamed to COVID-19. If the families that are in fear for their health want to continue wearing masks, if they want to go out to get the experimental vaccine, then let them. However, forcing these things on families who don’t trust the science isn’t okay. We keep inching our ways to a very dystopian future and i refuse to sit idley while people who are in terrible shape themselves, tell me how to live out our lives.

Submitted by: Christi Anderson

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Make masks optional. We have come a long way since Covid started and the need for masks on everyone is not necessary!

Submitted by: Christina

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep masks for the next school year. My kids are anxious to get back to school after doing Global this year but I can't send them if masks become optional.

Submitted by: Lisa Wright

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a GPS parent, I am extremely appreciative of the safety protocols and mitigation strategies that have been implemented throughout this school year. It has helped our family have some assurance while trying to also have some sense of normalcy. It is for this reason that I urge you to maintain the current mitigation strategies, in particular the continued use of masks at school. While our state has made much progress on vaccinating eligible individuals, there is still a large number of people (including many high school students) who are NOT vaccinated whether it is by choice or ineligibility. Only 38.1% of Arizonans are currently vaccinated, and the CDC still recommends the use of face masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 as we pursue vaccination efforts especially in schools. High school students have been shown to spread Covid-19 as just as much as adults. With the school year coming to a close, it would be a HUGE mistake to strip the protection a simple face mask provides. Graduations, Band/ Orchestra Performances, Awards Assemblies, Baccalaureate events could all be significant sources of spread if the simplest of measures were dropped. Now is not the time to cause undue stress and risk to families! It may be slightly inconvenient, but the continued requirement of face masks could help students safely participate in those momentous occasions without tragic results. We have already lost too much this year. We, the parents and families of GPS, are relying on you to keep our students and communities safe! Thank you for your time, Lisa Wright

Submitted by: David Stewart

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: By now you have been made aware of the Governor's decision to rescind the mask mandate for K-12 schools. This was based on the scientific data now available which does not support the use of masks as an effective means of slowing or preventing the spread of the COVID 19 virus. This has been true for other respiratory illnesses and has been clearly proven in the literature. As a physician I have been among those who have been appalled at the fearmongering which has lead to so many poor decisions in the management of the pandemic. Lockdowns and the use of masks have no scientific support in the way they were implemented. Many would point to the CDCs comments which support of the use of masks, but if you actually read their comments you would quickly see that their support of the use of masks were qualified with the following statement. I am paraphrasing but essentially they indicated that the scientific literature supporting the use of masks was "observational and clinical opinion only". This is the absolute lowest form of scientific support and is in fact akin to "our best guess". Meanwhile good literature supporting the claim that masks do not in fact reduce transmission have been overlooked. Never in my life has the media, fear and politics lead to a more irrational set of circumstances as we have just witnessed. You now have an opportunity to lead out and demonstrate to your community and to the state that fear, supposition and politics will not be used to make decisions where common sense and science should prevail. I would suggest that you all familiarize yourselves with the latest literature out of Stanford which essentially tears the foundational rug out from underneath all those who would suggest that lockdowns and masks had any effect whatsoever in preventing, or reducing the spread of the virus and have done far more harm than good. I implore you as a physician, a father and a citizen of Gilbert to help stop the madness. It is time to return the decision making to reasonable and educated citizens who can make decisions for themselves and their families rather than abusing any perceived authority over the students and the families of Gilbert Public Schools. There was no greater risk of contracting the virus at school then at home or abroad and yet we allowed fear and the media to control our decision making. Now, you again have a decision to make. Are you going to cave to baseless claims or return decision making to families? Nobody cares more about our children then we do and we are perfectly capable or assessing risk, reading the literature and making good decisions for our families. No more masks, no more authoritarian over-reach. Let our students and their families enjoy the last month and half of school without being subject to these baseless restrictions. Sincerely, D Gregory Stewart MD

Submitted by: Nikkel Nielsen

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please follow the Governor's recommendations and let our kids go to school without wearing masks. If some still want to wear them let them, but don't make everyone else just for those a few. The other charter schools around us have followed the direction of no masks. Please don't drive more families away from our district!

Submitted by: Diane Taylor

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear School Board, Please make masks optional. My 4th grader asks every day if she still has to wear a mask….it breaks my heart. I hear the school board saying that they are doing all they can to get enrollment back but I have a hard time believing this. Gilbert Public Schools has forgotten who their customer is….it is the PARENTS. Repeatedly, over this and last school year, the board has shown that they do not care what parents want. It seems that the board is more interested in special interest groups and unions. You have forgotten who your customer is. Listen please! As the new school year approaches, we are deciding whether to send my daughter to a charter school or back to GPS. We have had children in GPS for 14 years. I will be sad to leave, but we are the customer and must shop elsewhere when our needs are no longer being met. Unmask the Children. Give Parents a Choice!

Submitted by: Michelle Hironaka

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: In light of the governors recent announcement lifting they requirement for schools to have students and staff wear masks, as a parent and an educator I request that the board stay the course and require masks, at minimum, for the remainder of the 20/21 school year. There are plenty of health reasons supported by the CDC, it’s just a handful of weeks longer and the students are already used to it-please don’t make them have another change!!

Submitted by: Corinne

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: While vaccines are widely available to adults and people 16+, I would urge the board to consider that doesn't mean others, especially children, can't get COVID-19... especially the new strain. Until there is herd immunity or a vaccine for children, I would like the board to consider keeping the mask mandate for all during school.

Submitted by: Elizabeth Compiseno

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear Board Members and Dr. McCord. I am the school nurse at Carol Rae Ranch, and also have two children who attend GPS schools and my husband is a teacher in GPS as well. I respectfully request that you keep face masks required for students, staff, and visitors to our campuses through the end of the school year. As a school nurse, I have spent countless hours reading about Covid and transmission, having meetings on this, and listening to the webinars put on by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health on the subject. The CDC, ADHS, and MCDPH all state that studies show that masks mitigate the spread of the disease. One reason schools have been able to stay open is because of the mitigation strategies that were put in place, including the face masks. I see these children in the schools daily, and by large majority they do very well with them and understand the importance of wearing the masks. Rarely if ever, do I hear them complain about having to wear them. Even our little preschoolers do well wearing the masks. While many of our teachers and staff are vaccinated, the children are not. We only have a month and a half left before the school year is over. Please keep the masks a requirement in our schools so that we can end the year healthy. Thank you.

Submitted by: Jill Burdge

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am asking that we continue to require face masks be worn for the remaining 24.5 days of the school year. I would hate to see any student or their family miss out on end of the year activities this year simply because we chose to relax mitigation strategies. I believe that if we can avoid the spread of even 1 case by continuing to wear face masks it is well worth it. We need to do our best to allow students these opportunities that were stolen from many last year. Last year we had no power to impact that, but this year we do. We ought to do everything in our power to offer these opportunities to as many students as possible. Imagine being a senior and having to miss out on graduation because you were exposed to or contracted Covid-19. Imagine having prepared all year for an AP exam or SAT test to be told you cannot take the exam you worked so hard to prepare for. Imagine not being able to participate in regular end of the year activities after adjusting so much to an unprecedented school year. We really owe it to our students to do our part in making the school environment as safe as we can from the spread (or exposure) to Covid-19 as we can.

Submitted by: TRAVIS

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: This year is coming to a close and we would like to keep our children as safe as we can. With only 38% of our state vaccinated and have a long way to get to heard immunity. Keeping our children safe is a huge responsibility we give to GPS as parents when we hand off our children’s to those in our schools .. so please keep them safe by just making sure that everyone continues to wear a mask. It is the least we can do to help make sure more of us come back next year. Thank you for your time.

Submitted by: Amy Rolle

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment:

Submitted by: Heather

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please just keep the masks through the end of the year. It has gone so well, it would be terrible to change it now and have a bunch of absences so close to the end of the school year due to COVID. There’s one month left. It’s not hurting anyone to wear a mask every day, but it will hurt them if cases in school start rising and kids have to quarantine for weeks. I worked at an elementary school until December. The kids didn’t really care about wearing their masks everyday. It’s the parents that don’t like it. And the CDC still recommends masks in schools. Just keep our kids safe for one more month. Please.

Submitted by: Julie Ende

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: April 20, 2021 Good afternoon, We are writing to voice our concerns to you, the Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board and Superintendent Dr. McCord, regarding the recent announcement by Governor Ducey rescinding the existing mask requirements in Arizona schools. We are a high-risk household and for that reason have followed the advice of our physicians and enrolled our three children in the Gilbert Global Academy for most of the 2020-21school year. This learning model does not suit our children’s learning styles at all and we only made the decision in an attempt to keep them safe. By the third quarter of this school year, the benefit risk began to appear to shift for our seventh grader. The advice of one of his physicians was that returning him flex, IF he and those around him masked and followed all safety protocols, would be the best decision for his mental health at that time. So, beginning fourth quarter, we enrolled him as a flex student at South Valley Jr. High attending two classes on campus there and keeping his remaining two classes virtually with Global. We chose his schedule carefully, along with the school counselor, in an attempt to mitigate risk and have him there during times of least exposure. By now we all understand that masking protects those around us and the wearer of the mask is not given much protection from those who are NOT wearing a mask. The risk shifts from very low (all parties masked) to moderately high risk (to the mask wearer) when in the presence of unmasked individuals. Unless ALL present individuals are properly masked, the risk increases greatly. Especially indoors. We have been advised of this by our multiple family physicians. Additionally, just two weeks ago, our pediatrician warned that the South African variant is documented as present in Maricopa County, more easily transmissible, and hitting kids hard. His advice continues to be that we strictly follow all masking and social distancing protocols to protect not only the high-risk individuals in our family, but also those around us. These protocols include not gathering indoors with unmasked individuals and maintaining at least six feet from unmasked individuals outdoors. Should the mask requirement be lifted, or even made optional, we will have no choice but to once again pull our seventh grader from in-person instruction and return him to a virtual only model for the remainder of the year. With only approximately 27 school days remaining in the 2020-21 school year, we implore you to keep the mask requirement in place for all student and staff on GPS campuses. I should also hope you might consider the same continuation for the 2021-22 school year as we had really hoped to return our students in person next year however, given pediatric vaccines are still unavailable, masking will be a necessity for many GPS households. Thank you for your time and consideration of our concerns. Respectfully, Julie & Michael Ende

Submitted by: Lisa Wright

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a GPS parent, I am extremely appreciative of the safety protocols and mitigation strategies that have been implemented throughout this school year. It has helped our family have some assurance while trying to also have some sense of normalcy. It is for this reason that I urge you to maintain the current mitigation strategies, in particular the continued use of masks at school. While our state has made much progress on vaccinating eligible individuals, there is still a large number of people (including many high school students) who are NOT vaccinated whether it is by choice or ineligibility. Only 38.1% of Arizonans are currently vaccinated, and the CDC still recommends the use of face masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 as we pursue vaccination efforts especially in schools. High school students have been shown to spread Covid-19 as just as much as adults. With the school year coming to a close, it would be a HUGE mistake to strip the protection a simple face mask provides. Graduations, Band/ Orchestra Performances, Awards Assemblies, Baccalaureate events could all be significant sources of spread if the simplest of measures were dropped. Now is not the time to cause undue stress and risk to families! It may be slightly inconvenient, but the continued requirement of face masks could help students safely participate in those momentous occasions without tragic results. We have already lost too much this year. We, the parents and families of GPS, are relying on you to keep our students and communities safe! Thank you for your time, Lisa Wright

Submitted by: Megan Abbott

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I would like to affirm my belief that not wearing masks in school, if COVID counts are low, helps the students learn more. Also the governor said says my seven year old.

Submitted by: Viana Acosta

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I ask the board to please continue to have masks be required on all campuses in the district. My two children at this time cannot be vaccinated. Wearing a mask is keep them safe and keeps the rest of the children safe as well. Follow the science, we will come out of this pandemic together as a community.

Submitted by: Kathleen

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: AS a parent of 4 students in GPS, I wondering when you are going to remove the mask mandate. You were so quick to jump on the mask mandate and now it is lifted per the Governor, why are you not removing it? With so many vaccinated, it should be optional at this point, if a parent or student wants to wear one at school. They have been proven ineffective, and they are proving more detrimental to our children's health. Please reconsider your mandate, as you are aware all charter schools as of today removed mandates. Thank you.

Submitted by: Jessica Stoxen

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep mask mandate for our students. We have many that not yet have vaccine available.

Submitted by: Ashley Blackwell

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: State law ARS 1-601 & 1-602 PARENTS are the FINAL decision maker in our child's upbringing including medical decisions. To further enforce masks on our children is VIOLATING existing state statutes.

Submitted by: Maryann Fields

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Yesterday the CDC put out an article stating face masks are harmful. Any medical professional can tell you that face cloth coverings and even regular surgical mask do NOTHING to filter ANY kind of virus. By continuing to have school children cover their faces is not based in science. It is based in fear. Stop it already. No one is at risk, especially the children. https://www.instagram.com/p/CN3O840Bll2/?igshid=dotqnku74jrp

Submitted by: Melanie Peralta

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am respectfully asking that we please keep face masks and the current mitigation efforts in place for the remainder of this school year. Please give us parents and our loved ones time to get fully vaccinated. Vaccinations just fully opened to the public and it's difficult to find an opening for a slot, then have to wait 4 weeks for the second dose. I also have a family member currently in hospice care and would be torn in having to chose between letting my child attend school or being able to visit with my loved one for the time they have left. I believe every child deserves the opportunity for in person learning and the current mitigation efforts Gilbert District is taking make that possible for my child, my family and so many others. We do not have much time left in this school year and by next school year we should be looking at a lot lower risk as many will have been fully vaccinated by then and hopefully this virus will begin to burn out. We are so close to being able to return to some normalcy, I'm just asking that we please have a chance to protect ourselves, families and keep covid infection numbers down while vaccinations get distributed.

Submitted by:Laura brockman

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: MAKE MASKS A CHOICE. Every board meeting we listen to you all talk about the concerns with loosing kids and loosing funding. Parents want choices. Make masks a choice or we will go to a charter school that doesn’t require them.

Submitted by:Amy Bang

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please consider removing the mask requirement. Current data supports this change and other schools have already approved. Let’s not put an undue burden on our kids any longer.

Submitted by: Christine villarreal

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Per our governors executive order, please make face coverings for our children and even the staff optional. Standford university published a study today that finds cloth face coverings ineffective and bad for your health. We need to think about the mental tole this has taken on our CHILDREN. Our children and teachers should see other smiles and faces. How do we expect to improve mental health, when our young kids who are learning by facial expressions, are being made to cover their faces and not even see their teachers. Parents should have the right to decide what’s best for their child’s health and safety not the government or school district. Legacy charter schools already dropped theirs, and if I didn’t already think about unenrolling my child from public school and moving to charter school, I have now. It should be our children, our choice. Thank you.

Submitted by: Scott Thomas

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I write to encourage the board to lift the mandate of the students and allow this to be the choice of the parents. If the teachers and staff don't feel safe then they should be able to make the decision to wear the mask themselves. The kids have already been through enough over this last year. Please make this a parent/student decision and no longer the staff.

Submitted by: Andra Wilson

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: 

Submitted by: Staci Sutton

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: 

Submitted by: Danita Young

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: 

Submitted by: Jolene Young

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: please enforce to keep our children protected in masks until the remainder of the school year. thank you

Submitted by: Amanda Mayle

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep masks and distancing as a requirement for schools. The majority of schools age children cannot be vaccinated but are highly susceptible to carrying COVID 19 to others even if they don’t have symptoms. We also don’t know much about latent symptoms in children. It is not right to take the little precautions that we have had in place away and not protect these children at all. Lifting the mandates will also cause issues with adults and could very well be what leads to a big bad turn around in cases and deaths that the CDC has been warning about. Precautions do not hurt anyone, but taking them away can be life threading to our future.

Submitted by: Marya Langford

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I urge the board to continue to require masks in schools for the remainder of this school year, in spite of the Governor’s latest changes. We are so close to the end of the school year and some of us are looking forward to attending events such as graduation safely. Let’s stick it out for a few more weeks and keep our percent positivity down.

Submitted by: C Fulcher

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: In an abundance of caution and with regard to the still positive COVID number in the state, I wish that we continue to wear masks through the end of this school year and reevaluate this summer.

Submitted by: Parent of 3 current students

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Two of my four children have gotten their first vaccine. They will get their second shot in another 10 days. My 2 daughters aren't eligible for shots yet. If you rescind the face mask policy in our district, I will medically excuse my children for the remainder of the year-for their own health and protection. Even though I have a junior taking 3 AP exams. Keep the masks in place through the school year.

Submitted by: Lynn Jorgensen

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: We have sacrificed so much this year to protect our students. I have cut out labs and used online simulations. I have cut back on group work. If you rescind the face mask policy I will not be able to do another hands on lab for the remainder of the year. I will not be able to do another group activity. My student groups will no longer be allowed to help each other, or sit close to each other. Please ignore the clamor of bad advise. The CDC has said that schools are low transmission sites for covid AS LONG as mitigation strategies are in place. Face masks drop the transmission rate to under 1%. Just finish the school year, don't waffle back and forth. Keep us and our students safe.

Submitted by: Jill Pascoe

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am asking you to please keep the mask mandate in place through the end of the school year. The CDC states that wearing masks is the number one way to keep everyone safe at schools. Children can’t get vaccinated. Not requiring masks will put kids at risk. It will also increase the spread of Covid in the community at large. Please follow the science and CDC guidelines and keep our kids safe. Thank you.

Submitted by:Heather Bryant

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Individuals should have the right to choose if they want to wear a mask or not. This unconstitutional mandate has ended and is mentally, physically, and psychologically damaging to our kids and society to continue to force anyone to wear a mask. Protect our freedoms over fraud political science.

Submitted by:Aaron Childs

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I've stood by through all of this nonsense, I've kept quite. It's now time to do away with the mask policy. Our Governor has signed off on it and there's never been a threat to our children. Please vote the right way on this and end any mask requirements for our kids. They don't deserve further torture and I can't allow it any longer myself. I already feel guilty for not fighting for it sooner. I will now...if need be.

Submitted by: Kimbally Gardner

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Our daughter has gone through seven various schedule changes her first year of high school. We need to “Adult” Better. We maintain that our teachers and our students should not be put unwisely at risk. We implore the Board to maintain mask-safety throughout the end of the school year and for those enrolling in summer school. Reminder to the Board for consideration: A pandemic virus is not political nor is it religious. Masks matter. 2masks=low risk to either person. 1mask=moderate risk to the one wearing a mask. Low risk for the one without a mask. No masks = High risk to both. Kimbally Gardner

Submitted by: Ben Northcutt

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I’m requesting that the GPS board remove the requirement for students to be mandated to wear a mask. Instead emphasize that children be kept home when not feeling well and allow parents wishing to continue to have their kids wear a mask, may continue to do so, at their own decision. If we are so afraid of this virus, then we should not have opened back up at all. It is time for our kids to be able to have a normal school experience, which includes to forcing them to wear a mask.

Submitted by: Michelle Delliplaine

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: With Ducey’s new ruling please consider removing masks in Gilbert or making them optional. I would greatly appreciate a thoughtful approach to allowing family choice on this matter.

Submitted by: A go Peterson

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please remove the mask mandate. Let students/faculty chose for themselves if they would like to wear them. So many people have antibodies, have had COVID and have been vaccinated along with the low risk of children spreading it and it being fatal. The numbers of COVID positive cases have decreased dramatically even with masks—and it raised even with masks! We have a good herd immunity! Please let people chose for themselves!

Submitted by: Michelle Hironaka

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: In light of the governors recent announcement lifting they requirement for schools to have students and staff wear masks, as a parent and an educator I request that the board stay the course and require masks, at minimum, for the remainder of the 20/21 school year. There are plenty of health reasons supported by the CDC, it’s just a handful of weeks longer and the students are already used to it-please don’t make them have another change!!

Submitted by: Laura Skotnicki

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I know that the school board is considering rescinding the district wide mask mandate. I would respectfully request that the school board refrain from taking this step until at least the beginning of the next school year to allow more individuals in our community to become fully vaccinated. Although there is substantial evidence to show masks help deter the spread of COVID-19, I will site just one-according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (Feb, 2021) "Community mask wearing substantially reduces transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2 ways. First, masks prevent infected persons from exposing others to SARS-CoV-2 by blocking exhalation of virus-containing droplets into the air (termed source control). This aspect of mask wearing is especially important because it is estimated that at least 50% or more of transmissions are from persons who never develop symptoms or those who are in the presymptomatic phase of COVID-19 illness. Second, masks protect uninfected wearers. Masks form a barrier to large respiratory droplets that could land on exposed mucous membranes of the eye, nose, and mouth. Masks can also partially filter out small droplets and particles from inhaled air. Multiple layers of fabric and fabrics with higher thread counts improve filtration." Please allow our community time to rebound from what the world has endured over the last 15 months. Masks are a much smaller sacrifice than school closures or reductions in force (RIFs). Thank you for taking the time to consider my request.

Submitted by: Elise kelner

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am BEGGING you to PLEASE continue to require all children & staff to wear masks until all children are able to be vaccinated. PLEASE. The Governor has made a choice that completely disregards all CDC guidance. Members of my family are high risk & if my son can’t safely attend school, without risk of contracting & spreading covid-19 then he won’t be able to attend at all. Please follow cdc guidelines & require masks for the foreseeable future so our children can attend school in person SAFELY!

Submitted by: Sarah Garlick

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: In light of Stanford’s latest study on masks, I’m begging the board to stop putting the health of our children at risk by continuing the mask mandates for our schools. My kids (AR elementary, DRJH, and DRHS) have been more sick this year, had more headaches, their anxiety is barely manageable, and for the first time each in their lives, they are suffering with depression. These kids need to breathe. These masks are vectors for spreading MORE germs because these kids aren’t taught proper PPE. It has been proven SAFER for people to not wear masks vs wearing masks improperly. But if nothing else, PLEASE let our kids have as much normalcy as possible- they will be able to be much more successful in fighting off physical illnesses if their mental health is taken care of as well. :)

Submitted by: Jennifer Shaffer

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Following the Data, masks are completely unnecessary for students, especially of elementary ages. I urge the board to lift the mask requirement especially with our temperatures getting higher. I also ask the board to consider the latest data from AZDHS, CDC and multiple studies being conducted including https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7680614/

Submitted by: Robin Dodder

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: From the CDC website: Prevention Strategies to Reduce Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Schools Regardless of the level of community transmission, it is critical that schools use and layer prevention strategies. Five key prevention strategies are essential to safe delivery of in-person instruction and help to prevent COVID-19 transmission in schools: *Universal and correct use of masks *Physical distancing *Handwashing and respiratory etiquette *Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities *Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine Schools providing in-person instruction should prioritize two prevention strategies: *Universal and correct use of masks should be required *Physical distancing should be maximized to the greatest extent possible. *All prevention strategies provide some level of protection, and layered strategies implemented at the same time provide the greatest level of protection. Schools should adopt prevention strategies to the largest extent practical—a layered approach is essential. The discussion of whether or not to LIFT mask requirements in schools is moot. The CDC still recommends "universal and correct use of masks" as a primary mitigating factor. Anything less is negligence. Only 23% of our state is vaccinated, and people under 16 CANNOT be vaccinated yet. In Maricopa County 66.8% of the population has NOT been vaccinated at all. MANY of these are the children who sit in our classes. As you know, the VAST majority of GPS students are not even ELIGIBLE for a vaccine since only minors 16 and older are eligible for vaccination. Why are we even discussing this?! https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html https://data.news-leader.com/covid-19-vaccine-tracker/arizona/maricopa-county-az/04013/

Submitted by: Sharon Carter

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please get rid of the mask mandate

Submitted by: Shanna Mosley

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: ABC15 reached out to the CDC Tuesday regarding their guidance for schools, and what changes, if any had been made. They released the following statement: “Since issuing its updated Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention on March 19, 2021, CDC continues to recommend that schools require consistent and correct use of face masks by all students, teachers, and staff to ensure the safe delivery of in-person instruction and to help prevent COVID-19 transmission in schools. Masks should be worn at all times, by all people in school facilities, with exceptions for situations such as eating or drinking. Masks should be required in all classroom and non-classroom settings, including hallways, school offices, restrooms, gyms, and auditoriums, as well as on school buses and other public transportation.” I urge the board to continue to require masks on school campuses. With only a few weeks left of school please continue to follow the science and the recommendation of the CDC. Over the summer a larger portion of our students will become eligible to be vaccinated, a few more weeks of mask wearing will help ensure student safety so we can have a successful end to an already difficult school year. Hold the course keep your masking policy as is, and re-evaluate and make changes over the summer if needs be, not now.

Submitted by: Mary Brightman

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I urge you to continue the requirement of masks on school campuses, at least through the end of the school year. Although I am fully vaccinated, my son has only had one dose and most of my students have not had any. As we enter the season of proms and graduation festivities, now is not the time to ease up on mitigation strategies. Masks have been proven to work and are still being strongly recommended by the CDC, regardless of what our governor has stated. Thank you.

Submitted by: Michelle Delliplaine

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: With Ducey’s new ruling please consider removing masks in Gilbert or making them optional. I would greatly appreciate a thoughtful approach to allowing family choice on this matter.

Submitted by: Eric Jorgensen

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Keep the masks ON. We just received an email from HJHS that another student in my daughter's CHOIR class just tested positive. Without masks the entire class would have to be quarantined for 10 days. Protect our kids. Keep the masks!

Submitted by: Jennifer Smith

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear Gilbert School Board, I have been a student, teacher, and now a parent in Gilbert Public Schools. Additionally, my family has been apart of Gilbert Schools since its very early days. As such I have always been a big cheerleader of the good work this district does to serve the community. This is why I am asking you to keep the mask mandate in place. Doing so is consistent with the way Gilbert Public Schools has kept students safe for generations. Wearing masks work in slowing down the spread of Covid-19. Countless peer-reviewed studies prove this. Anecdotally, it has to be noted that communicable diseases have lessened this past school year. The difference has been due to the masks and other mitigation systems the district has put in place in the schools. Out of an abundance of caution I decided to enroll my daughters in Global Online Academy this school year. When I realized that the mitigation strategies in the schools were working, I decided to enroll one of my daughters in an after school enrichment program only because I knew school was a safe and healthy place for her. My family is eager for the girls to go back in the fall, but if the number of Covid-19 positive cases remain as high as they are now and there are no masks required in the schools, I will not feel comfortable sending them to in person school next year. I have one daughter who needs to be in person next year, online is not the best fit for her. My daughters are not vaccinated yet because they are both under 16. I would hate to pull them out of the district to homeschool them, but their health is of utmost importance to me and I will do so. I feel that the Governor placed you in an unfair position but I ask you to please continue to make decisions that keep the children safe. They are the only ones not eligible for the vaccine yet. There are only 5 weeks left of school. Hopefully all ages will be eligible before the next school year starts and these will be the final 5 weeks the students will ever have to wear a mask. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Jennifer Hallock Smith

Submitted by: DIANE GIST

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: The Board has set precautions in place to stop the spread and exposure of COVID 19 which include requiring wearing face mask. Some families have returned their children knowing that was one of the requirements. There is only 6 weeks left of school. Why change that now? Why risk spreading or exposing our families to COVID 19? Not all 16 year old through adults in the families have had an opportunity to be vaccinated. The data for how long the vaccines last is still undefined. Please continue to require the wearing of mask to protect our children, staff and families. Thank you

Submitted by: Robert W

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please make masks optional, so those family's that look at all the data and information available can make their own choice instead of having to follow a baseless mandate/policy.

Submitted by: Tonya shreeve

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please make masks optional for these kids.

Submitted by: Dr. Kiera Lane

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a physician in the valley for 20+ years and a parent of a student in 1st grade I am concerned for the board to not required masks for K-12 students until the end of the school year. Although I understand wearing masks are not preferred, it has show to be effective to reduce the transmission of COVID19. It is the advice of the CDC to have K-12 students to wear masks. In the school system right now about 85% of the entire population are kids and only 15% are teachers that may or may not be vaccinated at this time. The rate of transmission has stayed low because of wearing masks. If you follow the Governor Ducey to remove this we will see an increase in cases in schools and in the community. To stop mitigation efforts with only 5 weeks left of the school year it not a reasonable things to do and may set our state back. Making a change like this seems more reasonable in the new school year when more of our state is vaccinated and especially when K-12 student can be vaccinated for COVID19. As physician I am seeing devastating effects on both adults and young patients as young a 8 years old with long haul syndrome from COVID19. Maybe your family member or child had a minor cold from COVID9 but you don't know if your child will be that person who will have severe effects of COVID19 or who transmits it to a family member who has catastrophic effects. The pandemic continues on and new variants that are more contagious and may have more deleterious effect on our health needs to be considered. This is why continuing mitigation efforts are essential right now to stay the course. The board had the ability to continue to move us forward and protect our children. Please do no remove mask mandates in the schools for K-12 at this time and let our children be protested for the remainder of the year.

Submitted by: Jason Howard

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please retain the mask mandate for GPS schools, at least through the end of the current school year.

Submitted by: Becky Downer

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please consider keeping the mask mandate until the end of the school year. It is the number 1 mitigation strategy from the CDC and will allow us to finish this year strong. I don’t want to see us back in hybrid because of a school outbreak. I don’t want to have to remove my son from school during his last weeks of 6th grade but if masks are removed we will have to make a decision for his safety and at this point moving to online is not an option with so little time left. Allow students to finish this year strong and healthy. Next school year allows time to process and see how to best move forward.

Submitted by: Cheryl Klein

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: We were planning to return to school in person. However, if schools do not follow CDC recommendations (eg masks required for safety) we will not be returning,

Submitted by: Karen Maas

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Regardless of the level of community transmission, it is critical that schools use prevention strategies. As you know five key prevention strategies remain essential to the health and well being of our students and staff at our GPS schools. Physical distancing, handwashing, cleaning of facilities, contract tracing and most importantly wearing of masks. I currently have three students quarantining for Covid-19 at my campus, Gilbert Classical Academy. This virus and its variants are not contained. Most of our GPS students are not vaccinated and it is your duty to help protect them. Please do not change the mask mandate. We have 5 weeks of school left and students are capable of wearing their masks without undue duress. There is a small fraction of our GPS community that believes mask wearing should not be mandated and is an imposition to their student. As a parent of two GPS students I am requesting you keep the mask mandate in place through the end of this year. Thank you for your time.

Submitted by: Cindy Howard

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear Dr. McCord and Members of the Board, I am a parent of a GPS student and I am writing to ask that Gilbert Public Schools please keep the mandatory mask policy in effect through at least these remaining 5 weeks of this Spring semester. Children younger than age 16 - - a huge percentage of our PreK through 10th grade students - - are not yet eligible to receive a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, putting our students and families at unnecessary risk of contagion if Gilbert Public Schools rescinds the current mask requirement. It is widely reported that the rapidly spreading SARS-CoV-2 variant B117 spreads very effectively between children, in addition to other already circulating variants. The CDC recently updated their school guidelines and are clear about the need to continue wearing masks in schools: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcommunity%2Fschools-childcare%2Fschools.html Please do the right thing for students and families - - also supported by the CDC, the Maricopa County Dept of Public Health, State Superintendent Hoffman, and the AZ Education Association - - please keep the mask requirement in effect through at least the rest of this academic year. Thank you! Sincerely, Cindy Howard

Submitted by: Richard Phillips

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Based on the fact that the entire state of Arizona having a total of 138,243 (4/20) with only 29 deaths for those who are under 20 years old leads to a death rate of .021%. There is no reason to think that children are at a significant risk of dying from COVID. The numbers also support that the majority at risk are 65 and older. Most people who are 65 and older are not working as they are retired. With that in mind since the Governor has released the mask mandate on the school systems. I move that the school system release the requirement for students and teachers to be required to wear masks. If individuals based on their own personal risk review deems it necessary to wear a mask they are encouraged to do so, but it should no longer be a requirement to attend school in person. I respectfully request you consider lifting this as soon as possible. Thank you.

Submitted by: Jessica Jerez

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please NO more masks

Submitted by: Bridget Greer

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue to require face masks for the rest of this school year. Children under the age of 16 have not yet had the opportunity to be vaccinated, and there are only four more weeks left this semester. Most other school districts have made the wise decision to continue their face mask policies for the short time remaining. Please do the same.

Submitted by: Chris Scott

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It’s time to stop playing politics with our children and remove the masks in school. The mask mandate is lifted now it’s time for you to be responsible and lift the unnecessary mask mandate at Gilbert Public School.

Submitted by: Nate blake

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Students should no longer be required to wear masks in school. They do nothing but make it harder for communication and self expression of students.

Submitted by:Austin Nielsen

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: There is no evidence that a mask mandate is still necessary to maintain the mask mandate in k-12 schools. All of the teachers have had the option to get the Covid-19 vaccine and the few students at risk have opted to use online school opportunities. There is also evidence that has come from Taiwan and the UK showing that children have a very low chance of transmitting it to adults which proves the argument that they will take the virus home and spread it to parents incorrect.

Submitted by:Elise Millsaps

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please let us parents make the medical choice of mask wearing for our children. Thank you.

Submitted by:Chris Scott

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It’s time to stop playing politics with our children and remove the masks in school. The mask mandate is lifted now it’s time for you to be responsible and lift the unnecessary mask mandate at Gilbert Public School.

Submitted by:Adam Pascoe

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Covid-19 is a serious public health threat facing us right now and masks have shown to be a very effective way in preventing it. Although many are vaccinated, kids are not vaccinated. Therefore, masks still need to be required in schools as kids could get the virus outside of school and then spread it to many at school if no one is wearing masks. I am an online student who is not old enough to be vaccinated, but who has to go in to take a test in a few weeks. Please keep the mask requirement in schools so people in my situation do not get a dangerous illness for doing something we have to do. You all may be vaccinated, which means you are safe, but students like myself are not vaccinated, so we are not safe, and therefore I urge you to keep the mast mandate.

Submitted by:David Robinson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Sandford study just came out indicating that masks DO NOT WORK. In fact, they are more harmful than good. It's also child abuse making kids wear a mask. They need to learn basic human language by reading lips and seeing facial expressions. You guys are ruining our children!!!! END THE MASKS NOW!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by:Josh Pascoe

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: People have made decisions about having their children attend in person school based on the fact masks are required. to change it with only 5 weeks is cruel - they have no ability to pull their children from class and now have to endanger them. This past week has had the most COVID cases globally ever. if the school wants to remove the mask district, please do so when the school year restarts so families can make informed decisions

Submitted by:Jessica Wick

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: At previous meetings, members of this board voiced strong and powerful language about discontinuing in-person learning due to the threat of COVID-19. The President of this board even wrote and read a two page letter about how he disagreed with the Boards decision to resume in-person learning. Another member declared that data was incorrect and teachers were vulnerable to exposure to COVID-19. A third member voiced that the decisions the Board had to make shouldn't have had to be made by them, but by the Governor. Now the Governor is retracting his previous orders and allowing the GPS Board to make the decision regarding mask requirements and continued protection from COVID-19 for the remaining 29 days of the 2020-2021 school year. Based on previous voiced concerns of this Board I don't understand how the Board can even consider any other choice than to continue face mask requirements for teachers, students,, and staff. The CDC continues to encourage masks and data has shown face masks prevent the spread of Covid as well as the flu, cold, and other viruses. This is why hospitals, nursing homes, health care facilities, and other medical services are continuing mask requirements despite Governor Duecy's rescinded orders. I encourage the Board to maintain their current mask requirements and complete this school year with this simple protection for our children, our teachers, and our support personnel.

Submitted by:Lori Shechter

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: My family is new to the district and we have been very happy with the education our children receive at both the high school and elementary level. Our daughters’ teachers are wonderful and we are grateful for their diligence and compassion during this unprecedented school year. This has not been an easy school year for anyone. The end of the year is approximately 6 weeks away. We thank the schools for keeping our daughters safe during this pandemic. We are upset Governor Ducey lifted the school mask mandate. For the health and safety of the students and staff at all Gilbert Schools, please continue to mandate mask wearing to prevent the spread of Covid. Most students have not been vaccinated nor have the vaccines been yet approved for children under the age of 16. Lets always remember the safety and well being of the children and staff is of upmost importance at all schools. Please make the responsible decision to continue to keep our schools safe.

Submitted by:Kari Cullimore

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please please give options for kids to wear or not to wear mask. Please look at the science of the harm mask are doing to our children.

Submitted by:Lauren Ryan

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Masks need to be done. This is a false narrative that has gone on long enough. No study says they help, my child is not at risk and it is time to give them their childhood back.

Submitted by:Clarissa Kastner

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: My daughter attends the dual language program at Gilbert Elementary. She recently just went back to in person school in February. After being home for eleven months, we noticed a big change in her demeanor around that time. We made the difficult choice to send her back to in person school knowing that we were opening ourselves up to risk. Being back, she has once again become her happy self. From the office staff, to the principal, to the teachers and support staff, Gilbert Elementary has done an amazing job in this difficult year. I would like to ask you to please keep masks mandatory in the Gilbert schools. Contrary to what our governor has said, the CDC still recommends masks in school. My daughter has never complained about wearing a mask. One of her teachers is pregnant. I’m sure she’s not the only high risk individual there. And I’m sure there are even more family members of our students and teachers who are also high risk. Science shows that masking up is a very important thing to do to protect us all including our high risk community members and unvaccinated children. Effective masking up means everyone should be masked to mitigate the most risk. The newer variants that have already been found in Arizona have shown to be more symptomatic in children and they are still not eligible for a vaccine. Please consider science and our community’s safety in this last month of school. Our children have been so adaptable that I would hate to consider placing my child back in online learning (or just homeschooling) this last month.

Submitted by:Debi Hill

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: As a community member who resides in Gilbert near several of your schools, we are urging you to continue to follow CDC guidance and require masks at all of your schools. This is essential to keep our community safe and to not allow the spread of Covid-19. The majority of your students are not eligible for vaccines yet and masks are their primary means of protection. It is your responsibility to follow science and protect educators, students, their families and our community! To do so you must continue to require masks at GPS!!! The CDC very clearly stated today: Since issuing its updated Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention on March 19, 2021, CDC continues to recommend that schools require consistent and correct use of face masks by all students, teachers, and staff to ensure the safe delivery of in-person instruction and to help prevent COVID-19 transmission in schools. Masks should be worn at all times, by all people in school facilities, with exceptions for situations such as eating or drinking. Masks should be required in all classroom and non-classroom settings, including hallways, school offices, restrooms, gyms, and auditoriums, as well as on school buses and other public transportation.

Submitted by:Perla Quinones

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: There are high vaccine totals among teachers and faculty,, please allow face mask to be optional instead of required.

Submitted by:Bridget Zimmerman

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please unmask our children! Please see the following study done by Stanford University that shows that wearing facemasks are not only ineffective in the transmission of Covid-19, but are actually detrimental to both our physiological and psychological health. We are now free to choose to or not to wear masks in restaurants, stores, and other places of business, but our children still have to wear them for 7+ hours per day at school. It is not healthy. I am concerned for the wellbeing of ALL of our children from wearing masks. Please let wearing a mask be a CHOICE! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7680614/ Thank you, Concerned Mother, Bridget Zimmerman

Submitted by:Scott Glover

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear Governing Board, I know you get a lot of emails and all the arguments I make in favor of ending the year, the way we started (masked), will have been sent your way. So, there’s no need for you to reply to my email. I won’t raise all the points that probably many others have made but I will share a few thoughts. Whatever good you think might come from removing the mask requirement at the 23rd hour will be far outweighed by the damage it will do. Our staff have done everything they’ve been asked to do and the understanding was that the district would do everything they could to keep us, our classrooms and our families safe. Announcing that you are lifting the mandate the day after school gets out would be a much more palatable approach. The Governor has said localities could decide. He didn’t say we should all lift it. He said decide. He also misquoted the CDC guidelines, which still suggest wearing masks in schools, but this shouldn’t surprise anyone. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is updating K–12 school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms. CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings.” I cannot imagine anyone who has been with us through the year deciding to leave simply because we continue to follow safe protocols, as we have all year. Nor can I imagine anyone who stayed home, pretending to be a freedom fighter, deciding to now come back for the last twenty-something days of school since they no longer would be burdened by wearing a mask in public. It’s been quite a year and to announce the removal of this safeguard, especially as we approach educator appreciation week doesn’t seem like a very good idea. If anyone tells you this is a morale booster, they are wrong. Please just keep the mask requirements in place through the end of the school year. Sincerely, Scott Glover GPS Teacher, Husband of GPS teacher and father of GPS student

Submitted by:Bonni Beveridge

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue mask enforcement and mitigation strategies already in place for the remainder of the school year. We are in the home stretch and further disruption at this point would just result in more school missed due to quarantines and illness. Everyone is already used to the masks and other measures in place and covid is still spreading in the community so there is no reason to remove masks until we are fully in the clear.

Submitted by:Nicole Zion

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am 100% in favor for the masks being an OPTION. This is America and should be up to the parents if they want to put their kids in masks. If people are that afraid of getting sick with something that has 98% recovery rate and children aren't really being effected then they can mask up their children or keep them home and have them do online schooling. This is America and freedom of choice, it's absolutely ridiculous what is going on in our country. This is NOT ok and not fair for healthy kids to be smearing a dirty mask on their mouth and nose all day long. It also has psychological negative effects, self identity is somewhat eliminated and it's dehumanizing people. This has got to STOP! If you are a true American then you should do what is right to protect our constitution and our freedom of choice, speech, etc. If you are worried about the legal side of things then you can have parents sign/notarize something saying we chose to send our kids to school without masks and you're not liable. As a parent, it's very upsetting that we have already stole over a year of our children's lives and memories of childhood. Sports, school functions, telling families they can't have their families come to participate in things or watch their OWN children is beyond ridiculous. Please make the right decision and give us our freedom back!

Submitted by:Kathy McMullin

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue to follow the CDC guidelines for masks in the schools. My grandchildren are not yet eligible for vaccination and are still at risk for Covid 19.

Submitted by:Stephanie Johnson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: The only reason I put my daughter back in school was because of the mask requirement. Children still get sick from Covid-19. Children still spread it. We don't know long-term effects of this disease yet. Please keep the mask mandate in effect until the end of the year. This is what the CDC recommends for safe schools. Why the governor made this chaos now, I do not know. Opening this up for comment and a vote is also chaos. My guess is plenty people in Gilbert think of masks as some sort of blockage to their freedom instead of considering a mask part of a public health solution during a crisis. Keep it until the end of the year. I hope the board comes out strong in favor of keeping the mask mandate.

Submitted by:Timothy Barmettler

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the kids and teachers in masks until summer break. I teach in the school district, and I have a daughter who attends Gilbert Schools. I would like to keep her safe. Do not let the politics of parents make the call here. You make the call you think is prudent and safe for the kids and employees. I have a student whose father has Covid 19 currently, and I know of two other students who actually have Covid 19 themselves. This pandemic is not over. Get us through the school year. The students are doing pretty well with the masks. They do not complain. They get it and are doing well with the masks. The masks are not hurting anyone. Not wearing masks will hurt someone. Do the right thing. Thank you!

Submitted by:Lauren Ryan

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Masks need to be done. This is a false narrative that has gone on long enough. No study says they help, my child is not at risk and it is time to give them their childhood back.

Submitted by:Katie Lown

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am a teacher and a parent in the Gilbert Public Schools and I respectfully think that teachers, parents, and students should have a choice on if they want to wear a mask all day while at school. I am afraid of what will happen to our district if we do not give people a choice. Thank you.

Submitted by:James Pacek

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please maintain the use of masks until the end of this school year. Still recommended by the CDC.

Submitted by:HEATHER LECHEMINANT

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please KEEP the mask requirements in school! I have 2 teens one at Highland and one at Highland Jr. and the mask requirements and other mitigation strategies is why I felt comfortable sending my children to in person school.

Submitted by:Doni Mullins

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I wanted to give feedback on the recent rescinded mask order by the Governor. Masks in schools should no longer be required by the school administration. Make the optional for those that prefer to have them, but not a requirement please.

Submitted by:Seth Aleshire

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Good afternoon. My name is Seth Aleshire and I am the parent of two children in Gilbert Unified School District. I am writing to you to urge you to keep the mask order in effect at all of our schools. At this time we as parents do not have the ability to vaccinate our children and believe that with so many unknowns regarding this various including its increasing number of variants it would be irresponsible at this time to remove this important safety precaution from our schools. Research has clearly shown that wearing a mask is the best defense against contracting and spreading the virus. For our children, our teachers, and for our staff at all of our schools I ask you please continue the work of using best practices, science, and research to guide your decisions. Thank you for your time.

Submitted by:Tom Arendt

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: ONCE THE TRUTH COMES OUT, EVERYONE WILL SEE THAT MASKS DON'T WORK & ARE USED AS A CONTROL MECHANISM - WAKE UP TO THE FACTS. IF YOU WANT TO WEAR A MASK, FINE BUT DON'T FORCE IT ON OTHERS AGAINST THEIR FREE WILL. ENOUGH OF THE CHERADES, GET RID OF THE MANDATORY MASKS. DO WHAT IS RIGHT, QUIT ENCOURAGING THIS COVID FRAUD, BECAUSE THE INCONSISTENCIES WITH COVID ARE OVERWHELMING. JUST WATCH THE NEWS, THERE'S NOT ONE DAY WHERE THE NEWS CANNOT GO WITHOUT MENTIONING THIS COVID FRAUD, IT'S FILLED WITH INACCURRACIES & NO LONGER EVEN MAKES SENSE. ENOUGH ALREADY, WAKE UP TO THE TRUTH ON WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON. SIMPLY PUT, MASKS DONT WORK - C'MON, "STEP UP" & MAKE A DECISION. QUIT FORCING OTHERS TO DO SOMETHING AGAINST THEIR WILL. MASKS ARE INEFFECTIVE AND ANYONE WHO THINKS OTHERWISE IS IGNORANT AND HASN'T DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE. IT'S ALL SMOKE & MIRRORS AND IS NOT EFFFECTIVE. WITH THAT SAID, MAKE MASKS OPTIONAL NOT MANDATORY, IT'S REALLY THAT SIMPLE. DO WHAT IS RIGHT, QUIT PROPEGATING THE FRAUDULENT LIES - JUST GOOGLE "OPERATION LOCKSTEP" FOR ONE EXAMPLE OF MANY ON THIS COVID FRAUD. I EXPECT YOU ALL TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT & MAKE MASKS OPTIONAL, NOT MANDATORY. IF YOU DON'T THEN YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS COVID FRAUD GOING ON TODAY. YOUR DECISION TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT IS DETREMENTIAL TO THE KIDS' SUCCESS. I WOULD LOVE TO BE PART OF A FACE TO FACE DEBATE ON THIS TOPIC SO I CAN PROVE WITH CONSISTENT FACTS THAT COVID IS A FRAUD, IT'S THAT SIMPLE. DO WHAT IS RIGHT, MAKE MASKS OPTIONAL NOT MANDATORY. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME THAT IT IS A FRAUD, I WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEBATE FURTHER & DRILL DOWN ON SPECIFICS THAT CAN BE VALIDATED & VERIFIED, NOT SOME FRAUDULENT DR FAUCI LIE.

Submitted by:Kristopher Burckhard

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It is my hope that the district will discontinue the use/requirement of students/staff wearing face coverings. I would ask that the district follow the Executive Order signed by Governor Ducey in the elimination of this “requirement.” For those who feel the need to continue to wear a face mask they may but we should be “allowed” to make those decisions for our own children and not be forced. Thank you

Submitted by:Brooke Askew

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment:

Submitted by:David Rubin

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment:

Submitted by:Chris Askew

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment:  Good day, I am writing today as a parent of 3 students in GPS. Governor Doug Ducey was not being truthful when he released statements about masks this week. The CDC is still recommending masks. He lied, there is no other way to say it. The masks are working, please keep them in place until the end of the school year. With only a month of school left I strongly feel that it is the right move. Thank you for all your hard work. I know it has not been easy. Thanks again, Chris Askew

Submitted by:Marla Enhelder, PhD

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment:  Dear GPS School Board Leadership, As you are aware, Governor Ducey, in alignment with CDC guidance, rescinded orders that direct K-12 schools to require masks. Nearly 2 million Arizonans are fully vaccinated against COVID 19, with many teachers and school faculty now fully vaccinated after being some of the first in line for vaccine prioritization. As a parent for two elementary students, I plead that you follow the recommendation and make mask wearing optional and based on individual CHOICE among students, staff, and family members. Per existing state law ARS 1-601 & 1-602 PARENTS are the final decision maker in their child’s upbringing INCLUDING medical decisions. ARS1-601: 1-601. Parents' rights protected A. The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, health care and mental health of their children is a fundamental right. B. This state, any political subdivision of this state or any other governmental entity shall not infringe on these rights without demonstrating that the compelling governmental interest as applied to the child involved is of the highest order, is narrowly tailored and is not otherwise served by a less restrictive means. To further enforce masks on our children goes against existing state statutes and violates state law. Additionally, GPS recently had to lay off 152 staff members due to lack of funding. This lack of funding is largely a result of parents withdrawing their children from GPS due to decisions made during covid (online instruction, hybrid learning, etc.). If GPS does not uphold the Parents Bill of Rights as laid out in the statutes mentioned above, MORE parents will withdraw their children and GPS will lose MORE funding thus causing them to be forced to let go MORE staff members. Lastly, here are a few studies from Stanford and the National Institute of Health (NIH) pointing to the fact that masks are not effective AND cause negative physical and emotional health ramifications!! https://www.scribd.com/document/503573509/Facemasks-in-the-COVID-19-era-A-health-hypothesis-by-Baruch-Vainshelboim#from_embed https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7680614/ Again, I ask that you follow the recommendation of our governor and do the right thing for our children. Mask wearing in the schools should be a CHOICE, not a requirement! Sincerely, Marla Enhelder, PhD

Submitted by:Heidi Kotzenmacher

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment:  Please, I am begging you to remove the mask mandate at schools. Children are restricted from expressions which are imperative to learning. Young learners are unable to learn sounds correctly because of the inability to see teachers mouth positioning when learning letter sounds. Young readers are making errors on assessments because it is hard to hear them. Let alone, the social aspect of expressions and seeing joy or unrest on peoples faces, as humans we desire these interactions. Masks are creating fear in our youth. Older students have opportunities to hide what they have in their mouths and this is dangerous. My last plea is the fact that masks contain bacteria, students/parents are not washing them regularly and they are not good for our respiratory system. Stop this insanity and make a statement to our youth that America is still FREE, it should be a choice NOT a requirement to wear a mask.

Submitted by:Craig Moore

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Science is ever changing, especially with the novel Coronavirus. Please review the new study out by the NCIB a branch if the NIH, ran by Dr. Fauci, showing mask ineffectiveness and how its harmful physically and physiologically. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7680614/#s0045title I would like to speak on this at the board meeting.

Submitted by:Tonya shreeve

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please make masks optional for these kids.

Submitted by:Kristopher Burckhard

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It is my hope that the district will discontinue the use/requirement of students/staff wearing face coverings. I would ask that the district follow the Executive Order signed by Governor Ducey in the elimination of this “requirement.” For those who feel the need to continue to wear a face mask they may but we should be “allowed” to make those decisions for our own children and not be forced. Thank you

Submitted by:Mary Gudewich RN

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: I am writing to express concern regarding the potential change in our mask requirements. Gilbert Schools have been containing covid-19 spread very well, and I feel that a large part of the reason why is the wearing of masks. The children have really stepped up to do their part. If we stop requiring masks at school, these unvaccinated students will not only be more at risk of contracting a virus (of which much is unknown about the long-term effects), but they will also have a greater chance of quarantine, and missing many days of school. With covid-19 cases rising in the US, and the CDC still recommending mitigation strategies such as mask-wearing, I strongly believe that removing of masks at schools at this time is premature.

Submitted by:Summer

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please remove the mask mandate. Provide students and their families with information about both the risks and rewards of wearing masks, and then empower them to make an informed decision. Giving students the opportunity to make an independent and informed decision provides them with the greatest gifts in life, independence and self-confidence. Children are very low-risk for serious complications from COVID, and all teachers and support staff have had ample time to get vaccinated if they so desire.

Submitted by:Wendi Taylor

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I implore you to continue to enforce the mask mandate through the end of the year which follows the CDC's recommendation based on SCIENCE not POLITICS. Wearing a mask, while perhaps annoying and/or inconvenient, is a simple action that keeps everyone safe especially with the rise of Covid variants and the fact that immunizations are not yet available to children under 16 years. Yes, some parents will balk but we are talking about 5 more weeks of school, and again following recommendations made by well educated scientists, not politicians.

Submitted by:Joyce Lazar

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment:This is concerning the mask requirements for our school district. As both an employee and a parent, I am requesting that the mask requirements continue until the end of this 2020 - 2021 school year. There are only 25 1/2 days or 5 weeks left in the school year. As a Paraprofessional, I work in close proximity to my students in small groups. Due to the nature of our work, it is necessary to work sitting right next to them. The students have done a good job with their masks & can continue just until the end of the year.

Submitted by:Karen Arendt

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment:I am a registered nurse of 30+ years, I have been on frontlines of getting treatment approved for COVID for EUA for monoclonal antibodies at the place I work. It is time that we take out the politics, fear and let kids be kids. Kids/parents/staff should have the option to wear masks or not. It should not be mandated by non health professionals. As a public school board, you need to put our kids priority first that is for kids to be kids. The pandemic has already caused an increase in suicide rates among teens by 45% in just Maricopa county. Kids are isolated which is causing these kids to be addicted to screens not go outside and play due to fear Also our neighboring charter schools (your competition) has rescinded the mask mandate due to the numbers in our area so I am not sure why you need to have a special meeting to discuss this. Do what is right for our children, our community, parents. Give the kids/parents/staff the choice so you don’t lose more students, funding. Thank you

Submitted by:Michael Sanchez

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please allow masks to be optional in ALL schools.

Submitted by:Kristopher Burckhard

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It is my hope that the district will discontinue the use/requirement of students/staff wearing face coverings. I would ask that the district follow the Executive Order signed by Governor Ducey in the elimination of this “requirement.” For those who feel the need to continue to wear a face mask they may but we should be “allowed” to make those decisions for our own children and not be forced. Thank you

Submitted by:Amy

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Masks should be optional from this point forward. Those who wish to continue to wear a mask have the freedom to do so and those who do not wish to wear one, should have the freedom to make that choice. Period.

Submitted by:Elizabeth Hankinson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: The CDC still recommends universal masking for all students as the best mitigation tool. As a parent of a senior, sophomore, and 8th grade student I do not want my kids to miss out on important events like AP Exams, Graduation, etc because of Covid and/or quantines due to Covid spread. Nor do I wish to miss important events should my children bring home Covid from school exposure. Two of my children are ineligible to be vaccinated because of age as are the majority of GPS students so masking is our only available mitigation. Please follow the CDC and keep masking for the remainder of the school year. The majority of all businesses and workplaces still require masking. My oldest daughter tracks Covid infections in the GPS zip codes daily for a non-profit. They have continued to rise weekly since Spring Break ended and are in the substantial category. Kids are the fastest growing group of infections. Protect our students, families, and community. Mask Up!

Submitted by:Lisa Jarecki

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a retired teacher and grandmother of 3 GPS students, I would like to implore the board to keep the mask requirement. I realize that other mitigation measures, such as social distancing is not practical which is why it is so important to, at a minimum, to keep the mask requirement for students and school personnel in place. We are less than a month away from the end of the school year and since children can not yet get the covid vaccine, it is incumbent on the responsible adults in charge to keep our children safe. If mask use is voluntary rather than mandatory, most students will not wear them putting others (including those students who choose to wear masks) at risk. Decisions that affect the health, safety, and education of all students is never easy, especially with vocal parents that may disagree with you, but that is the job of good leaders. Please keep the current mask mandate in place for the remaining of the school year. Thank you.

Submitted by:Debbie Zeits

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear Gilbert Public School Superintendent and Board - I write to you today to request that in light of Gov. Ducey removing the Executive Order requiring schools to have a mask policy, you modify the district policy to make masks option in the district. 1) As a parent, I have a right to make medical decision for my child. A mask is a medical device. My children being forced to wear one at school is in violation of my right as a parent. https://www.azleg.gov/ars/1/00602.htm 5. The right to make health care decisions for the minor child, including rights pursuant to sections 15-873, 36-2271 and 36-2272, unless otherwise prohibited by law. 2) Even the packaging on masks say they do not prevent the spread of germs and viruses. Unless specific masks like the N95 are used, germs and viruses are small enough to go right through. 3) Masks seriously restrict breathing which can cause headaches, dizziness and affect concentration, focus, and the ability to learn. All three of my children have a 1000% increase in headaches and report dizziness because of extended mask use within school 4) Masks harbor and allow bacteria to grow which can be quite harmful especially for those, like one of my children, who are very susceptible to bacterial infections such as MRSA, meningitis, strep throat, and those that cause sore throats, common colds and acne. 5) People, including children are social beings. Children are being harmed mentally and socially by not being able to see the facial expressions of their classmates and teachers. 6) Masks make it hard to hear. My children have reported having difficulty hearing their teachers due to masks and that teachers have not always wanted to slow down or repeat themselves which has negatively affected my child learning. I have been monitoring the Covid cases per school daily within Gilbert since January. The count has been extremely low with about 3 – 11 cases per day. The school with the highest number of Covid Cases, Highland High, where I have a student has been less than 150 total which is less that a 0.04% rate spread out through the entire year. While it maybe tempting to think that the “mitigation” strategies like masks have worked and with so little time left in the school year to leave the status quo, I can site many inconsistencies in policy and enforcement. 1) My high school student reports that the majority of students do not wear the mask consistently or properly. Groups of students will gather (outside since inside area's have been made unavailable or are so limited that most must take lunch outside). If a student is asked to pull up their mask, they comply and then immediately remove it once the “enforcer” is not looking. 2) At the elementary level, kids are allowed to eat without masks, but no learn...like the germs can't travel in the cafeteria/while eating. 3) At the elementary level, I personally observer on a daily basis kids playing on the school yard and leaving school with the majority not wearing masks. I understand that fear is rampant within the school board and with some parents/families around covid in general and masks specifically. This issue is a hot topic with polarizing views. However, fear should not be used to make decisions that affect so many people and children. In my opinion, the harm being done more outways any real or perceived benefit. Again, as a parent, I have the right to make medical decisions, including wearing a mask or not, since it is was never a law and no longer has an Executive Order. In listening to the last board meeting where the loss of membership was discussed and the financial impact, I would ask the board to consider the loss of additional students should the mask policy remain mandatory. The mitigation strategies were meant to be short term to “flatten the curve”, not long term. Thank you for considering without “fear of covid and the numbers may rise” the matter seriously and judiciously and acting in the best interest of the children and family. Those that feel safer and like masks, should be allowed to do so. However, all children deserve the right to a fee quality public education and mandating masks is over reaching and overstepping parents rights. Please feel free to contact me should you have questions or like to discuss. Thank You! Debbie Zeits

Submitted by:Sarah McGee

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: We are only 5 weeks out until summer break. Why are we once again possibly going to be making changes to the safety of our children. The new Covid-19 variant is effecting more children, and with out a mandate on masks... who knows how many could become infected with Covid, not to mention we do not have a vaccine for the younger kids! Please keep the mandatory mask mandate until the end of the school year! Thank you!

Submitted by:Lisa Loschetter

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the mask mandate in place in all GPS schools as children under 16 have not had the opportunity to be vaccinated, and cannot distance properly especially at lunch & gym/play time. Teachers also need protection as some may have not been able to get a shot due to allergies and even after vaccination, illness can happen data shows. Please keep all safe until the virus dramatically fades. Also, please consider that enrollment will increase over the summer & decide that valued teachers return to a position where needed. Rif procedures may have been inaccurate due to lack of knowledge and pandemic restrictions leaving few opportunities to serve outside the classroom or GGA environment. Please consider evidence & facts which convey a reality and make wise decisions to restore those who prove their contributions & qualifications. Experienced teachers are rarely granted all their years of fine service in other districts making it difficult to continue their current pay rate. Keeping quality mentor teachers benefits GPS and the entire community. Thanks for your service. Blessings during your meeting and within your decisions.

Submitted by:Capri Goudy

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I beg the Board to change the rules regarding masks. Please make it an individual choice and not mandated district wide. Allow families to make a choice that they are comfortable with. Follow the example of Queen Creek School District and many charter schools in our area. With social distancing in place, increased vaccination numbers and extra sanitation, our kids do not need to be masked!

Submitted by:Amie Perea

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: With so little time left in the school year, please leave the mask mandate in place. It would be very disruptive for families who might not be comfortable allowing their children to attend to have to pull kids from school to remote learn as we round out the semester. The CDC and our pediatrician recommends masks in schools and so should GPS.

Submitted by:Schatzi Keller

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It is time for masks to be optional for the students please

Submitted by:macy taylor

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Recently I’ve learned that Governor Ducey had allowed school districts to decide the requirement of masks. Next year will be my senior year, and so far I’ve only had one normal year. Masks should be enforced and enforced correctly so that people are less at risk and everyone receives the normal year they deserve. Please consider this and keep in mind that we are only several weeks out from vacation.

Submitted by:Matthew McCaleb

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I ask that we keep mask mandates through the end of this school year since, with things like the AP tests and their finals, the end of the year is one of the most crucial parts and students will need to stay healthy to finish off well.

Submitted by:Erin

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: We have been asked for a solid year to follow the science. We have done that. And now we are told that this virus does not even transmit via surface contact. We also know children are not super spreaders. Data shows half of all adults have been vaccinated. Teachers were among the first group given the vaccine. Let's continue to follow science and UNMASK our children.

Submitted by:makenzie wolfington

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: the mask situation at school is very scary right now. so many people go about their day not wearing their mask correctly, or flat out not wearing one at all. and staff doesn’t do anything about it. I would ask for this problem to be addressed

Submitted by:Jason Mattina

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I urge the board to continue to require face coverings on all GPS campuses.

Submitted by:katie moser

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am contacting you to ask that you allow our children to attend school with out a requirement of masks per gov. ducey's lift of the mandate. thank you for your consideration.

Submitted by:Randi Schaefer

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the mask mandate in place. Not everybody is vaccinated and masks work best when everybody wears one, especially when transmission levels are still at high levels. There are less than five weeks of school left. We’ve been wearing masks for over a year and continuing for a few more weeks to ensure that everybody is safe is not a big thing to ask. The CDC, State Superintendent and the scientific and medical communities do not support removing mask mandates. There is no supporting evidence for the removal of masks in large groups. Classrooms by definition are large groups. Keep the mask mandate in place through the end of the school year at least. Only remove it when the CDC and other medical and scientific communities agree that the risk has passed.

Submitted by:Rita Emrick

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: All school board members

Submitted by:Geneen Donk

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please don’t let people attend school or work at school without a mask. It goes against science and the right for people to work and attend a safe environment. I worked at Greenfield as an educator for 14 years. I love all the people I met there, my family. I left teaching because I had a choice. If you do as Ducey is suggesting, people will leave because will feel like they don’t have a choice for fear of sickness or even death. Please be aware of what this could do to the students education. Those teachers have been working so hard in an unreal situation and now this! It’s ridiculous that it’s even a topic of discussion.

Submitted by:Myrna Sheppard

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I have extended family members at several different schools in Gilbert and am very concerned if you rescind your mask policy. Just because Ducey has removed the mandate is no excuse. Please continue to follow the health advice and keep the mask policy in place, at least until a vaccine is available for children. For the safety of kids and teachers. Unfortunately because of. the RIF and your bogus rubric, many teachers are in fear of losing their jobs so are afraid to send messages to board members, so I am asking you to protect the health of all in the school community even if their fear of retaliation results in a disproportionate number of messages to rescind the policy!!

Submitted by:Bruce Wilton

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please maintain a mask mandate for the health and safety of our students, teachers, and staff. There are still a significant number of COVID cases, and the number one item in the CDC's Prevention Strategies is "Universal and correct use of masks."

Submitted by:Terri Diaz

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Hello, I am writing to share my thoughts about the possibility of lifting the mask mandate in GPS. I feel strongly that that would be a huge mistake. Covid cases in the schools are still occurring. My junior high daughter has had two positive cases in the past three weeks. Students under 16 are not able to vaccinated. The CDC states that students are able to be within three feet of each other while continuing to wear masks. The CDC does not state that students should not wear masks. At this time, students are used to wearing masks and do so willingly. Changing the already established expectations will also cause problems with the mask and maskless with in the classroom. With such a short time until the end of the year, I ask you to not change any of the mitigation strategies which allowed in person school to continue. Please do not lift the mask mandate.

Submitted by:Tandra Rederick

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I can't tell you how relieved we are at the prospect of our daughter getting to commemorate her senior year with what few in-person events are scheduled, especially graduation. She has missed out on both proms, many orchestra concerts and playing opportunities as a member of symphonic strings since quarantine last year, and many pep rallies, senior events, etc. PLEASE with only a month to go and the end of this year promising to look much more normal than last year and most of this year, PLEASE do not jeopardize this just to make a few parents/students happy for such a short time. We've made it this far, school is feeling normal, and kids are catching up! Masks do not cause students to fall behind, Covid does!🥺 Please stand your ground, keep masks to keep school normal in the ways that students deserve and let's finish SO much stronger than we did last year and did starting the school year. Let's give every student and staff member the end of year they have all earned and have been dilligently doing their part to preserve and protect. A month, just a month to continue to be cautious and we'll all enjoy the payoff. Thank you from an extremely concerned parent of an even more concerned senior 🙏🤞

Submitted by:Tirzah

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please update the mask policy from required to recommended or Optional. Allow each family and students and staff to choose if they wish to wear a mask or to opt out. Teachers have already had plenty of time to be vaccinated if they so choose. Many children have difficulty breathing or focusing when forced to wear a mask all day long. When worn properly the child is forced to rebreath their own carbon dioxide and reduced oxygen which can lead to headaches and lost focus. Children are far less likely to spread the virus than adults, and if infected are far less impacted than adults. Initially the mask policy was designed to slow the spread of the virus to avoid overwhelming hospitals. We were told two weeks to "slow the spread"... it has been a year of this. It is clear that we are nearing herd immunity and hospitals are no longer at risk of being overwhelmed. The sooner we can wipe out the virus by reaching herd immunity between those who are vaccinated and those who have overcome the virus the better. Once the virus can find no willing host it will die out and the virus deserves to join the large heap of extinct viruses. Thanks for your consideration.

Submitted by:Jenny Helm

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Wearing a mask to protect yourself and others is not difficult. There is no reason to remove this requirement before the end of the year. Children still cannot get vaccinated and need an addl protection. Part of the school districts job is to set governance to protect the children while at school. Please continue to do that job, and continue to enforce mask wearing.

Submitted by:Nick Willever

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: "Ever since I can remember, enrollment numbers have been down for at least the last 9 years", this is a comment I heard during a board meeting. With Gilbert having been one of the fastest growing towns in America, these enrollment numbers appear to be a lack of agility, flexibility with Gilbert Public Schools as a whole. Then I heard, "we will try and get students back from other schools and home schooling", is this a competition? Who can get the most students, can get the most resources? The focus appears to be on how to get more resources. You are losing to the "competition" because you see it that way. Stop worrying about enrollment, start making real change to the organization (yes I recognize this is your comfort zone). Instead of trying to pull kids from homeschooling, partner with them. Allow each teacher, student and parent the ability to work collectivity on an education plan. Allow each school more flexibility to do what they need. The board wants to hold too much control (micro-management), and over the last 9 years we can see it hasn't worked out for them. Let go, guide at most and free the schools and teachers to do what they love. Remove obstacles for them, including yourselves. (get creative!) Stop processing schools as herds of kids and more about unique situations, needing precise decisions made at the teacher's / parents level. If you disregard this comment through the use of excuse making or don't have the energy for this, then you may want to re-evaluate your ability to make an impact in this organization.

Submitted by:Michelle Morris

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As an employee and parent in GPS I ask you please make masks optional for students and staff. Those children snd staff members that feel comfortable should have choice to not wear masks Thank you for your time and efforts this year!

Submitted by:Jason V

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: We trust you to look after our kids, the most precious thing in the world to us. You have lost that trust for many parents and kids. I don’t know if you will earn this back. The first step is to Make Mask Wearing a Choice now. On your school website https://www.gilbertschools.net/Page/2271 here are the Covid numbers: 12 active cases / 33,500 students = 0.035%. Ridiculously low, (right in line with neighboring Cusd). That means 99.96% of kids donor have Covid. Make mask wearing a choice, make the vaccine a choice! You all blamed Governor Ducey and said it was hid Executive Order. Now that is removed, what is your excuse now? You’ve already lost 1600 kids leaving GUSD, causing 152 teacher and faculty layoffs for next year. The suicide, anxiety, and depression rates are so high. Put the kids first!

Submitted by:Lori Lauersdorf

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: GPS Board and Superintendent, I write to you with one simple request: Please do the right thing, follow CDC guidelines, and keep face coverings required in schools the remainder of the school year. More Arizonans are becoming vaccinated (28% as of 4/20), but elementary-school kids cannot yet receive a vaccine, are vulnerable in close quarters 6+ hours a day, and are still capable of contracting and spreading the COVID virus. While it’s unfortunate that, yet again, our governor pushes these critical healthcare decisions to school districts, please understand that there are parents of students requesting you stay steadfast in supporting science for at least the next 27 days, and then reevaluate in July for next school year. The governor's note about consulting CDC guidelines was either a tragic mistake or a blatant lie. In either case, CDC Covid guidelines for K-12 very clearly state that safe operational strategies must include universal and correct use of face masks.  But, this isn't about politics. It isn't about freedoms. And, it shouldn't be about which parents complain the loudest. It’s simply about public health. I want to be part of a school district where I know they’re going to use critical-thinking skills, believe and promote science, and put the well-being of my child above all else. And as the President of the United States asked all Americans today, we need to do our part to stay vigilant and use proven mitigating strategies, i.e. wear face masks, socially distance, wash your hands, in order to continue to lessen community spread and the impact of the emerging Covid variants.  I spoke to our family's pediatrician today and they have recommended all children wear face masks in school as there continues to be active Covid spread in the community. This cannot be a choice you pass down for staff and students to have to make for themselves. As previously noted, face masks only work through universal, consistent, and correct use. Plus, you already offer a choice for those who do not want to wear a face mask; Global Academy. Please stay the course and help us continue to get through this pandemic together. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Submitted by:Trisha Schwanbeck

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It’s time to let the kids go mask free! Let the kids be kids! If the mask don’t go away I pull my kids from your District and I hope a lot of other parents will do the same if mask don’t go away! I will make sure my children’s funding goes to a school that listens to parents wishes!!!

Submitted by:Cathy

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the mask mandate in the schools. This academic year is almost over. The kids have worked so hard to have privileges, don’t take that away. Wearing a mask is such a tiny thing to do to help stop the spread.

Submitted by:Todd Cash

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It should be a choice to wear a mask or NOT. I do not find enough Medical/Scientific proof that the face coverings even work to stop the spread of Covid. Lets vote to remove the mandate to wear masks in the schools. It is time to let our children see the teachers faces and the teachers see the children's faces.

Submitted by:Trevor Ferguson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please allow students faculty and staff to decide if they wear masks or not. If those that feel they should wear a mask can wear one, and if those that wish to not wear one they need to be able to go without them. Allow everyone the right to choose!

Submitted by:Rob

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the mask mandate.

Submitted by:Staci Sturgeon

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I would like to request that the mask mandate be kept in place for the remainder of the school year and then next year can be looked at when that time is closer. A lot of parents, like myself, only switched my child from online to in person classes because masks were required in class/at school. The levels were the exact same now as when I made that decision then and the boards decision should remain as well. The pandemic is not over, children are not vaccinated (as well as staff and parents) and the percentages of cases in younger children is increasing daily in place where they are not listening to science. It shouldn't really be a choice...listen to a Governor/politician who has no medical background or follow facts and science and possibly save a few lives in the process. Seems like a no brainer to me. The kids are used to it, don't disrupt their lives AGAIN this year because a politician said so...please!!!!!!!!

Submitted by:Betty Gullen

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: CDC is very clear on the need for masks in inside spaces. Numbers of children contracting Covid is increasing all over the nation. This is NOT the time to change the effective precautions in place. Masks must be continued to protect my three grandchildren in the Gilbert Public Schools.

Submitted by:Jessalin Machado

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please revoke the mask policy for elementary students & staff. Gilbert Elementary has had a total of 15 covid cases since school has been back in person and currently has ZERO active cases. No one wants to wear a mask all day and our kids need to get back to being kids and learning in a comfortable environment.

Submitted by:Trisha Schwanbeck

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It’s time to let the kids go mask free! Let the kids be kids! If the mask don’t go away I pull my kids from your District and I hope a lot of other parents will do the same if mask don’t go away! I will make sure my children’s funding goes to a school that listens to parents wishes!!!

Submitted by:Matthew Ulrickson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Members of the Board: Thank you, once again, for your leadership and the opportunity to provide input as you aim to determine the best path forward for our students, teachers, and our community in the face of this challenge. As you consider the decision on mask wearing by students for the remainder of the school year I have the following to share as part of my strong recommendation to maintain the mask mandate in Gilbert Public Schools. 1. Masks decrease risk of infection when worn, but importantly the protection is most significant when worn by others - meaning that individual choice does not allow optimal protection or equal decision in this instance. This is the reason that as a team we have worn masks when caring for Stem Cell Transplant patients for years, long before the discovery of COVID-19, to protect our patients even though the viruses were of very low risk to the health care team. 2. A rise in the prevalence (frequency) of COVID in our local area will lead our hospitals to once again limit visitation. Regardless of the risk-status of carriers of the virus, to protect our patients this decision to limit visitors to the hospital and clinic would be necessary; we would not be able to allow this form of support to patients until conditions improve. This would mean, once again, that patients are spending weeks-months receiving treatment without their loved ones in the room with them and receiving news on their health in isolation. I have repeatedly seen the hurt, the challenge, and the impact that this has on patients and the people of our Gilbert community and I strongly discourage any decisions that will make this likely to repeat itself, such as removing the mask mandate within schools. 3. Vaccinations are a tremendous success in our battle against this virus, but they are not equally effective or available for everyone. Specifically, patients receiving treatment for cancer are much less likely to have protective antibodies after vaccination as seen in this recent article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33861303/ and many will not have individual protection from a vaccine for up to a year after treatment meaning they depend on the community to protect them during this time by keeping rates of infection low in our community through the use of vaccines, masks, and distancing. As the majority of school-aged children are not yet eligible for vaccination their contribution is entirely through masking and distancing. Continuing this is vital, as the incidence will rise without these interventions. This is an opportunity to care for the least of these. I applaud the efforts of this board, our schools, teachers, and students as GPS has been a shining example within our country by combining the courage to open schools and care for children with the wisdom to require masks and the diligence of students and teachers to abide by that guidance. This is not the time to change this successful strategy. I would be glad to help in any way that I can to support you and the schools both for this decision and any in the future. Sincerely, Matthew Ulrickson, MD Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center Chief, Section of Hematology

Submitted by:Charlotte Pascoe

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am a 7th grade student and I would like to share why I think it is vitally important we keep the mask mandate. Wearing masks is an essentially part of preventing the spread of Covid-19, and the simplest way to do so. Many people are already pulling down their masks whenever they want and creating an unsafe school environment. Removing the mask mandate would remove any force behind teachers telling students to put on a mask. It would remove any desire to try to follow the rules some of the time. What is already an environment favourable for spreading Covid-19 would become a place where almost everyone is not wearing a mask and everyone is getting sick. Most students are not currently old enough to get vaccinated. Making a decision to get rid of the mask mandate would put the health of all of these students at risk. It would go against the basic purpose of school, to help students, by purposely putting many of them at risk of severe harm to their health. This also risks the health of the student's families. If you get rid of the mask mandate, nothing will be in place to even encourage masks and nothing will be in place to stop people from getting sick while going to school.

Submitted by:Sara Flaherty

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I respectfully ask you to keep masks required in our GPS schools. I have three children in the district and I am trusting you to keep them safe by continuing the requirement of mask wearing since we know this is the best mitigation strategy. Thank you.

Submitted by:Stephanie

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am voicing my request to eliminate mask mandates from GPS. We have a boundary exception because we believe Gilbert will do the right things. Our child is not only a 4.25GPA student but also plays sports. We could easily attend our district as they have never closed and have already eliminated the mandate of masks, but we have chooses GPS because we know that they also will make the right decision. Don’t give into the fear. We know that masks don’t works, they are not stopping the spread, they are only doing more harm to our children. Coming from a family who already has the virus pass through we all survived!!!! Myself and my child (student) never tested positive yet my husband did. We stayed at home for our required time but did not wear masks in the house. 2 out of 3 never got the virus! This proves that masks don’t stop it. We never wore them!!!! We continued our life and we all survived. Eliminate the masks. If someone wants to wear them then so be it, but don’t make it mandatory for those of us who are not scared. If students and teachers want to wear them then they can wear them. But regardless of the vaccine or not masks are not going to stop it. It has a 99% survival rating. We will survive! It will be ok! Stop the masks!!!!!

Submitted by:Sean Flaherty

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Current guidance from CDC.gov still lists the proper use of masks as a key mitigation strategy for kids 2 years and older to slow the spread of COVID-19 among the school population. Even if many of the adults have been vaccinated, the children have not. We are near the end of the academic year - it seems like an unnecessary risk to stop requiring masks because our governor doesn't think they're needed. Please continue requiring the use of masks at our schools to keep our kids as safe as possible. Thank you.

Submitted by:Joanna Greene

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: Parents such as myself unenrolled my grade school kids last August when we were told remote learning was our only option to begin school. Since then, it was hybrid, remote or in person (for some), but masks have always been a requirement on campus. Because of the mandate, I have been homeschooling my kids using a Christian based curriculum. My kids are thriving. Unfortunately, they need the social aspect of school along with the academic portion and I would like to send them back. But only if masks are optional. And this is the part that irks me - no one is telling anyone they cannot wear one. Parents can still send their kids to school in masks if they feel safer. But kids shouldn’t be forced to mask up, especially now that Doug Ducey has lifted the mandate. Our numbers are low, people are vaccinated, and more importantly, elementary schools are one of safest places for our children. I know that a significant amount of parents unenrolled their children last year and went elsewhere. It’s time for GPS to plan ahead and think about the future of our kids.

Submitted by:Mary Brightman

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I urge you to continue the requirement of masks on school campuses, at least through the end of the school year. Although I am fully vaccinated, my son has only had one dose and most of my students have not had any. As we enter the season of proms and graduation festivities, now is not the time to ease up on mitigation strategies. Masks have been proven to work and are still being strongly recommended by the CDC, regardless of what our governor has stated. Thank you.

Submitted by:Gabe LeCheminant

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Keep the mask requirements until the summer so that parents and older teens have time to be vaccinated and have the time for the vaccines to become affective.

Submitted by:Arriana Arnell

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please allow parents/staff/students decide for themselves if they feel they need to wear masks. I don’t think this should be a mandatory requirement. Charter schools and EVIT all of which are in close proximity to the district boundaries are no longer requiring this mandate and allowing each individual a choice. Please remove the mandate. Research has shown that children are not super spreaders or a high risk group.

Submitted by:Susie Eskey

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please please keep the mask mandate in place for the remainder of the school year. We committed to sending our children to school in person on the promise that CDC guidelines would be in place. The CDC still unequivocally insists masks are imperative. It should not be up to each family, since masks don’t just protect the wearer but those around them. My daughter will continue to wear a mask, but others around her who do not will increase her risk...how is that fair to her? Not to mention the peer pressure of those around her pressing her on why she still wears it. It will just cause more confusion and anxiety, and for what? A few weeks more. Please have some patience and stay the course. With luck the vaccine will be available to high schoolers over the summer and next school year, it will make sense to make changes. Right now, it will just cause distress, anxiety, and confusion.

Submitted by:Christiann Thijm

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: This thing is not over yet and we are too close to blow it now. Kids get COVID. Kids die from COVID and even the ones who get mild symptoms are subject to the possibility of related heath issues in their future. We just don’t know. Bottom line: it is our responsibility to safeguard our kids futures. What’s a little mask aside from a potential life saver? Until there is a vaccine for kids, I won’t be sending my kids back to school if masks are no longer mandated. And I am desperate to get them back to school. Please be smart about this.

Submitted by:Aaron Cook

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a parent of children in Gilbert Public Schools, I think the district should maintain the face mask requirement for at least the remainder of this school year. We are still in a pandemic, the CDC still recommends wearing face coverings in settings such as schools, and we have kept our children in in-person classes with the understanding that the district would continue to make decisions for the better of public health. We have children in high school classes with more than 35 students in a normal-sized classroom. There is no social distancing, so face coverings remain important.

Submitted by:Jodi Bordes

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please let the children and their families decide if they want to wear a mask! It should be optional so that both parties win! If you want to wear one, fine, but don’t make the ones who don’t want to, wear them! Let’s follow other schools that have made it optional! PLEASE!!!!

Submitted by:Lindsay Piche

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: We need to unmask our children. We have complied long enough. It is detrimental to their physical and psychological health.

Submitted by:Nathan Piche

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It’s time to start getting back to normal. Please let our children have just ONE normal month this year. Most of them have never even seen their own teacher’s full face (in person) this whole year. How sad is that? Do the right thing. UNMASK OUR CHILDREN.

Submitted by:Kris Robinson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a mother of 3 teenagers in your district, I am against mandatory masks at school and on the bus. I have non-genetic stage 4 breast cancer due to "environmental causes" and I believe the masks are increasing health risks in some individuals and should be a parental choice for children in your district. I am a licensed physical therapist of 35 years, a child advocate and mother of 5 and a certified EMT. Choice makes a big difference.

Submitted by:Matthew McCaleb

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I ask that we keep mask mandates through the end of this school year since, with things like the AP tests and their finals, the end of the year is one of the most crucial parts and students will need to stay healthy to finish off well.

Submitted by: Kimberly Updegraff

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am writing to strongly urge you to retain the mandatory mask policy through the end of this school year. Please follow the CDC guidelines and keep face coverings required for the remaining days of this school year. The school age youth are not yet vaccinated. I signed my teenagers up the moment age 16 and up spots became available and they are just receiving their second dose this week. My son who attends Gilbert High School is high risk and I cannot send him to school if you do not maintain the mandatory masks. Please do not place us and the many other parents who have students with additional risks in a situation of having to pull our students out of in-person learning for the remainder of the year. It is unfortunate that, once again, the governor has put school boards in this situation as the CDC guidelines for K-12 very clearly state that mitigation strategies including universal face coverings must be in place for the public safety of all members of the school community. Please do the right thing and follow the expert recommendations (CDC) and mandate masks for the remainder of the school year. Parents who do not want students to mask have an alternative option: Global Academy.

Submitted by: Derek Sovchik

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am writing to strongly urge you to retain the mandatory mask policy through the end of this school year. Please follow the CDC guidelines and keep face coverings required for the remaining days of this school year. It is unfortunate that the governor has put school boards in this situation, but the CDC guidelines are very clear: mitigation strategies including universal face coverings must be in place for the public safety of all members of the school community. Please follow the expert recommendations (CDC) and mandate masks for the remainder of the school year.

Submitted by: Mike Lindholm

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: While it appears difficult to measure, according to many in the media and those I know in the medical field, wearing a mask seems to be about 10% effective. As a teacher I know that I am more effective when I can see the expressions on my students' faces and they can see mine. When faces are in plain view teacher can tell who is listening, who is understanding and the level of engagement. So much of our communication is nonverbal and mask interfere with this communication. Additionally, as a retiring teacher I would really like to be able to complete my career by being able to see my students entire faces. Let's do what is best for our students and drop the mask requirement in or schools. Thank you for your consideration.

Submitted by: Michelle Nakamura

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: While I am an employee, I am writing as a parent of a high school senior and a 3rd grader. Please keep mask on while on campus for the remainder of this school year. We have seen minimal cases recently with mask in place. As high school students are able to walk at graduation this year, as a parent I ask we do nothing to jeopardize that from occurring. Students have already been in mask if they have been in person and I think continuing something on campus and in classrooms that has already been in place is possible. I just read the Chandler school board decision and as a parent I would be very happy with that plan. I do not see the harm of mask for the final 4 1/2 weeks of the school year. Thanks for all you do- as a parent I fully recognize there are no easy decisions this year in your roles as school board members.

Submitted by: Kristin

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Hello, I am a local ICU nurse and GPS parent. I have been an ICU nurse for 6+ years. The first 5 years I saw a lot of death, both tragic and peacefully welcomed. But the last 14 months have been full of just horrific horrific sickness and death. While I realize the percentage of people who die from Covid is not extreme, but these human beings die is. My coworkers and I have watched literally hundreds of people, of all ages, ethnicities, and health histories, suffer and struggle to take a breath while we are fighting to keep them alive long enough to get their families on an iPad to say goodbye. But the very worst part of all of this has been people’s reactions to it. When did someone’s right to not wear a mask become more important than someone’s life??? When did we stop caring about each other? It makes me just so sad to think that I even have to write this in defense of wearing a mask. Covid is not over. Our numbers at my hospital are increasing again. If you look at legitimate research based sites, you’ll see that the numbers in children are increasing. This is not over and it will take us as a collective society actually coming together and thinking of others to bring as back to any sort of normal. These kids need to wear masks, at least through the rest of the school year, and then we can re-evaluate before school starts again in August. Please, from someone who has been the last one to hold the hand of a dying human being so many times over the past 14 months, do not lift the mask protocol for our children.

Submitted by: Leda DeVlieger

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: While I am a Global teacher the mask policy still affects me, my children and the community I live in. We are in the middle of the AZM2 tests, if the mask policy is changed I will not feel comfortable going back in to proctor further testing. In addition, I will not be comfortable sending my kids back in for the final days of their testing. This includes AP testing for my son. We can choose which businesses to go into based on their mask policies, but that isn’t quite the case with sending kids to school. With just 5 weeks of school left it makes sense to keep the current policy in place. Students and faculty are accustomed to it. I am asking you to follow CDC guidelines which state that correct mask wearing is among the most important mitigation strategies. The CDC states that for both students and for those that are fully vaccinated in group settings. The risks of removing the mask policy are just too high.

Submitted by: Myrna Sheppard

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I have extended family members at several different schools in Gilbert and am very concerned if you rescind your mask policy. Just because Ducey has removed the mandate is no excuse. Please continue to follow the health advice and keep the mask policy in place, at least until a vaccine is available for children. For the safety of kids and teachers. Unfortunately because of. the RIF and your bogus rubric, many teachers are in fear of losing their jobs so are afraid to send messages to board members, so I am asking you to protect the health of all in the school community even if their fear of retaliation results in a disproportionate number of messages to rescind the policy!!

Submitted by: Steve Brightman

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue requiring masks for the remainder of the school year. While many teachers and staff members are vaccinated, the overwhelming majority of students are not. We are still receiving notifications from the high school of exposures. Masks are still recommended by the CDC. If you are considering any modifications to the current policy, please consider something similar to Chandler, which allows removal of masks during PE and recess. Thank you.

Submitted by: Shelley Pirouznia

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Do you care anything about your teachers? Recent actions do not show this!

Submitted by: Vance Salter

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the mask mandate for the rest of the year, i have a very susceptible immune system and my siblings will bring back anything they get at school right back to me.

Submitted by: Jennifer Frost (Irizarry)

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue the mask mandate for the remainder of the current school year. At this time children are unable to be vaccinated. While most kids may be at low risk when contracting Covid that does not apply to all of Gilbert students. Some, like my son, are high risk of severe Covid, related complications, hospitalization or worse. If the mandate is removed, even if my son wore a mask to school, he would not be protected from contracting the virus from other students. We are only weeks away from summer break and removing the mandate now means my son will have to switch to online schooling or home schooling. We love Gilbert classical Academy but they do not have their curriculum in the online schooling option. Their students electing online class must do so via global academy which has a completely different curriculum. That means with only a few weeks left in the school year my son will be forced to switch to a brand new curriculum. knowing that some in the community find this acceptable is disheartening. My son has a right to the same quality education as his peers which is not offered in any other capacity through Gilbert Public schools aside from Gilbert classical academy in person. I am begging you to please maintain the face mask mandate through the remainder of this school year. Thank you.

Submitted by: Jay Pirouznia

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Follow the science please! Don’t bow to political or parental pressure to stop the mandatory mask rule currently in place. I haven’t been able to hug my own grand kids for over a year and although painful, I understand why. We are so close to the summer break I think changing policy this close to the end of school is a short sighted decision with potential serious medical consequences. My wife is a retired Gilbert teacher. Son in law is a current Gilbert school teacher. I worry about our teacher friends and Gilbert students we know currently attending in school classes. Keep the mask policy in place!

Submitted by: Ashley Redger

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I believe the masks for children should be ended. We have been in this for over a year. Keeping them masked has decreased the efficiency of their immune systems as is as they have not been exposed to the elements. Not only that, but many people have been vaccinated and continue to be so daily and per the CDC and all the data we already know this does not affect children the way it does the older community. I say free our kids faces. Thank you.

Submitted by: Drew

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I would like the kids not be required to wear face masks anymore. Covid has little effect on them and do not spread it as easily as adults. I believe they do more harm than good, health wise and for their mental well being.

Submitted by: Shannon Hanson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Make masks optional!!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by: Kristen Thie

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I have been a nurse in this community for the last 17 years and a mother of three children in GPS for 10+ years. I chose to send my kids to school this year with the promise of keeping them safe and healthy, with mitigation strategies in place. Per CDC guidelines, I would anticipate the mask requirements to stay in effect. My children have expressed concern about returning to school without masks, not feeling protected and safe. Research has shown that masks are obviously more effective when worn by everyone, not just a few students who choose. I have a highschooler with severe asthma who is too young to get the vaccine. I realize she can wear a mask but if her classmates are not wearing one, she will not be protected. If masks are not required, what options will be provide? With a month of school left, children can’t switch to online schooling now. Parents chose in person learning, knowing mitigation strategies would be in place. Please continue to keep these in place.

Submitted by: Amanda

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please leave the mask requirement in place. We are very close to the end of the school year and the masks have helped multiple immunocompromised children stay safe during their in-person learning. Removing masks from schools will force these children to finish their school year at home without their peers and teachers. These students have adjusted and readjusted multiple times this school year, please allow the students to finish the year feeling safe and protected. Thank you.

Submitted by: Dan Irizarry

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue to require the mask mandate. For the safety of our children, and household family members we need to do everything we can to limit exposure. In our combined household we have 7 family members that fall into one of the following categories: elderly, immune compromised, asthmatic. On a district wide scale I can only imagine how many at-risk people are affected by children bringing home illness from school. With the vaccination rolling out and Covid cases on the decline, it would be foolish to take a big step back so close to the finish line.

Submitted by: Corrie Weeks

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I feel that it is time to remove the mask requirement

Submitted by: Amy Kuhns

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the mask policy in place through end of current school year. I don't think it's too much to ask as students have been doing it. My child is only 15 so unable to be vaccinated. Once a student that has been at school and tests positive for COVID-19, it is too late to put preventive measures in place. The exposure has already happened which is why it is so important to wear masks to minimize the risk. My daughter at HHS (out of boundary as part of gifted cohort) plans to continue to wear her mask. I worry if you remove the mask mandate, it will have negative impact on her education experience in the classroom. Thank you.

Submitted by: Cristen Abrams

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I'm not really sure how there can be a question about requiring masks in schools at this point in the pandemic. The CDC still recommends schools use masks. Mask use in schools has been correlated with lower numbers of cases of Covid. No one under the age of 16 (most of the students in schools) can be vaccinated yet. Variants circulating are proving more contagious and more dangerous to younger people, including children. Especially if they are the unvaccinated population, Covid is going to survive in children -- and potentially provide a way for the virus to mutate more into more contagious and effective variations. Many Gilbert schools are unable to distance effectively and do not have ventilation systems that meet the requirements for slowing the spread of Covid. Masks, especially indoors, are the only tool we currently have to prevent the spread of covid among our schoolchildren. My own children are all vaccinated except one who is too young. He is not currently in in person school. This isn't a personal concern for me, except in the ways it could prolong the severity and duration of this pandemic. This affects not just the schools, but the whole community. We are almost done. Masking kids in schools for a few more months is one small thing we can do to try to prevent it. It is not enough for those who choose to wear masks to wear them, since the masks mostly work by preventing the spread from you to others. Masks have not been shown to cause any problems in the vast majority of people. They are readily available and most children are not bothered by them, especially at this point since they have been wearing them. I have been fully vaccinated since February, yet I wear my mask all day, 5 days a week at work, as do all my coworkers. It's a small sacrifice that can save lives, so we do it willingly. Please do not remove the mask mandate in the name of false information and short-sighted politics. Follow the real science that overwhelmingly shows that masks are one of our few effective tools against coronavirus, especially in a population that is unable to vaccinated at this point.

Submitted by: Christian Nelson

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please rescind the mandatory mask policy and allow each student to decide whether or not to wear one. This has gone on for far too long. People are free to decide what to do with their own bodies.

Submitted by: jan allen

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: ADHS has covid school transmission at 4.9% for Maricopa County. Maricopa County has Gilbert ISD transmission at 6.76%. Averaging the two rates indicates “Moderate” transmission in our schools and community. All science recommends wearing masks. Please, please continue wearing masks through the end of this school year to give our kids a chance to get vaccinated during the summer. Covid is worse than the flu. My teens and I have lingering neurological problems from getting covid in January 2021. Wear the masks a few more weeks!

Submitted by: Vance Salter

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: please keep the mask mandate for the rest of the year, i have a very susceptible immune system and my siblings will bring back anything they get at school right back to me.

Submitted by: David Gullen MD

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: To the Governing Board of the Gilbert Unified School District: Our Governor has made the wrong decision in allowing schools to choose to keep the mask requirement or make it optional. His decision contradicts what the CDC states on its website and endangers all of the Gilbert community. His decision creates conflict among all of those in positions of decision making with constituents who have all sorts of opinions/passions on the subject. Governor Ducey has opened “a can of worms” leaving school districts having to deal with the fall out. Cases of children catching the Covid have been steadily increasing across the nation. With only 5 weeks left of the school year, I am urging you to maintain the comprehensive safety precautions that are in place now. The Board has made the health and safety of the school community its priority so far and I am sure that your efforts will not be derailed at this point in the year. I am a grandparent with grandchildren at Town Meadows and Gilbert Classical Academy. They are my world and I trust you to make the right decision to keep the mask mandate intact in the Gilbert Public Schools. Thank you for all that you do for our children.

Submitted by: Michelle Warring

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue the policy of required masks through the end of the year. We have only 25 days left, but many activities. This is enough time for two rounds of Covid to spread through our schools. Also, we allowed our children to return to in person learning because of the mitigation strategies. Masks are really the only mitigation strategy that has continued, especially at the high school level since class size negates physical distancing. Those who argue against continuing the masking policy are many of the same families that have wanted their children in school since day one. They will not keep their students home. However, if the mask policy is recinded, we may have to keep our children home because of the increased risk of them bringing Covid home. Will this excuse them from the rest of the year? How will finals be handled? Will my student be able to take her AP exam in a masked environment? Masks for the few days left in the school year will not hurt students who have worn them all year, but it may hurt the families of students exposed to a multitude of students for basically the first time this school year.

Submitted by: Rebekka Kotrodimos

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep masks mandatory in schools throughout the remaining school year. Our children are not eligible for the vaccine and until they are able to get vaccinated it is important to protect their health and safety. They have done so well all year! The mask has become very normal to my children and does not bother them at school. It’s such a simple thing to do to protect everyone around campus and to keep kids safe while we wait for the vaccine

Submitted by: Ernest Warring

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue the mandatory mask requirement. No masks will put our family at risk due to health conditions. Our children are aware of this and their stress and anxiety level has skyrocketed since Monday. If students AND staff are allowed to attend school without masks, we will probably need to keep them home for the rest of the year. How will that impact their finals, final music performances, and AP tests?

Submitted by: Kerrie Kelly

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I respectfully request that you maintain the current masking requirements through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Contrary to Governor Ducey’s statement, as of 10:16 today, the CDC still lists “Universal and correct use of masks” as the number one mitigation strategy under the heading “Prevention Strategies to Reduce Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Schools.” I ask you to please make tonight’s decision concerning masks based on the CDC’s recommendations, which are rooted in scientific data, instead of arriving at a decision influenced by personal preference, political agenda, or parental pressure. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html

Submitted by: Suzanne Blanck

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I implore all of you to read the link I am citing. It is from THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH (A part of the US Dept. of Health and Human Services.There are so many peer reviewed papers that cite information against mask mandates (science). This is just one of many. It is so unfortunate people are not giving these experienced health and disease professionals a platform for discord which is what a Constitutional Republic demands and so does the furthering of health research and science communities. The reason students are not coming back to schools in the district is NOT just because of Covid... it is because many people are not going to mask their children and it will get a whole lot worse come next fall. Unfortunately American citizens are going to start to exercise their choice and are recognizing their "NATURAL RIGHTS" which are cited in the Constitution of America. Having the choice to wear or not wear a mask is a choice. Please read this peer reviewed information. This is not to change anyones opinion it is to inform others why people are in disagreement to the request to forcibly ask them and their children to wear masks. This is a bipartisan issue but it is also a Constitutional rights. If you would like many more published from credible disease and health professionals please feel free to ask I welcome friendly discord on the subject:) conversation.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7680614/

Submitted by: Ryan Kelly

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Greetings, My family and I live in Gilbert, and our son has attended GPS schools since he began as a Kindercamper in 2016. I was hoping to reach out to you with concern for the possibility of changing the current masking requirements. I respectfully request that you maintain the current masking requirements through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Contrary to Governor Ducey’s statement, as of 10:16 today, the CDC still lists “Universal and correct use of masks” as the number one mitigation strategy under the heading “Prevention Strategies to Reduce Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Schools.” I ask you to please make tonight’s decision concerning masks based on the CDC’s recommendations, which are rooted in scientific data, instead of arriving at a decision influenced by personal preference, political agenda, or parental pressure. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html Respectfully, Ryan Kelly 480-241-1995

Submitted by: Kim Clark

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue to require masks inside all school buildings for the remainder of the school year. Children do not have the opportunity to be vaccinated at this point. With the rise in pediatric cases due to variants, it is now more important than ever to continue to mask in public spaces. My children are comfortable wearing masks, without a requirement for others to continue my 6th grader will not feel safe going to school. He, and my other 3 children attended Global Academy for the third quarter and it was not a positive experience. He really wanted to finish elementary school with his friends so we returned to campus with the belief that masking would continue to be required. Please do not create undue anxiety and fears of sickness by removing the masking requirement. I urge you to follow Chandler's lead and require them indoors at the least. With the rise in temperatures and manner which covid is spread, I feel it is reasonable to allow masks to be removed outdoors. Thank you for your consideration. Please continue to protect our children and allow them a safe environment to learn.

Submitted by: Dawn Beeson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Now is not the time to stop requiring masks in schools. The GPS Governing Board is meeting tonight because of a bald-faced lie told by Governor Ducey. There is absolutely no CDC guidance indicating the removal of masks in schools is prudent or appropriate at this point. Indeed, chief among of the CDC’s Prevention Strategies to Reduce Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Schools is universal mask wearing. “Regardless of the level of community transmission… Universal and correct use of masks should be required.” Now is not the time to stop requiring masks in schools. According to an article published today, “The CDC says that for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the rate of transmission of COVID-19 is higher in kids ages 6 to 13 years old than the rate is for people 65 years old and older.” This age group cannot yet be vaccinated. It is our job as adults to protect them to the best of our abilities. Masks are proven to help protect them. Now is not the time to stop requiring masks in schools. Pursuant to Gilbert Unified School District No. 41 Policy Manual and Administrative Regulations, Section J - Students, point F: it is incumbent upon the superintendent “to provide, in every way feasible, for the safety, health, and welfare of students." To even *consider* ignoring the primary CDC prevention strategy to reduce transmission of COVID-19 in schools in violation of this policy is irresponsible and reprehensible. Now is not the time to stop requiring masks in schools. Our children are adaptable, and they have gotten used to wearing masks this year. Continuing to wear them for the rest of the school year can do no harm to them. Removing masks at his point can. Now is not the time to stop requiring masks in schools. GPS promotes itself as a “CHARACTER COUNTS!” district, and the Strategic Operating Plan asserts “When parents send their children to Gilbert Public Schools, they do so trusting that we will keep them safe, helping them grow and succeed… We believe in educating the whole child.” Instructing our children to dismiss expert public health recommendations, and supplant them with one’s own judgement — and by extension devaluing the years of education and scientific facts upon which those recommendations are founded — is irresponsible and especially hypocritical of a school board. The sciences are an integral part of the curriculum, as are critical thinking skills. Members of the GPS Governing board must demonstrate their understanding of both and with their vote make clear: “Now is not the time to stop requiring masks in schools.”

Submitted by: Andra Wilson

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I wanted to share this article from today that another new mutation of the virus has been discovered in Texas that is more contagious, is resistant to antibodies, causes longer infections, and affects young people. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/new-covid-variant-detected-at-texas-aandm-lab-shows-signs-of-antibody-resistance-and-more-severe-illness-in-young-people/ar-BB1fWcAm?li=BBnb7Kz We have seen how such mutations soon become the dominant strain, and mutations such as this will continue until we can get enough people vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. Now is not the time to remove the mask requirement in schools, when school-aged children are not able to be vaccinated. Please, please wait until vaccinations are available for children. Our kids have been wearing masks for a year and are used to it at this point....there is no reason to rush to remove this method that is scientifically proven to reduce transmission. We haven't come this far just to have our kids get sick now. Thank you.

Submitted by: Tyler Fellows

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Hello. Throughout this entire pandemic mask mandates have been a huge topic of controversy. The “science” keeps changing and it has become a political point to force people into compliance. The “science” has shown over and over that masks do not help stop covid, and wearing them can actually be detrimental to the health of the wearer. I urge you to “follow the science” and remove the mask mandate in the schools. They are literally pointless.

Submitted by: Michelle Warring

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue the mask requirements for the last 5 weeks of school. It will not impact students to continue wearing them since that was the expectation when they returned to in person learning. It is still the recommendation of the CDC which the board resolved to follow. Allowing students and staff to be mask free will expose all students and staff, even if they choose to wear a mask. Our students have not only been protected from Covid, but also flu, strep throat, and the common cold. We have not received one notification to other illnesses (strep throat, pink eye, lice, etc) this year. Now with end of the year testing and activities, you are considering exposing students and staff to a variety of bacteria and viruses that their immune systems have not encountered this year. It doesn't make sense to take this risk with such a short time left, especially when all stakeholders expected to wear masks for the year. Because of health conditions, if the mask requirement is removed, we may need to keep our student out of school for the rest of the year. How will this impact his grades? Will he be excused from finals? Will he be exempt for AZ Merit testing ? What if he doesn't take the AZ Merit test? Will he be penalized for not participating in his final music performance? Continuing to require masks will NOT prohibit any student from finishing the school year. Only their parent's choice will do that. On the other hand, doing away with the mask REQUIREMENT may prohibit families, such as ours, from finishing the school year. PLEASE continue to require masks through the end of the year.

Submitted by: Jackie Moore

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Arizona statute 36-2271 states. “All parental rights are reserved to a parent of a minor child without obstruction or interference from this state, any political subdivision of this state, any other governmental entity or any other institution, including: The right to make health care decisions for the minor child, including rights pursuant to sections 15-873, 36-2271 and 36-2272, unless otherwise prohibited by law., unless otherwise prohibited by law.” Masks are ineffective and unhealthy, see attached study https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7680614/*s0045title__;Iw!!No0KQ4w!7rJce3o_3X5wvO5DJN1jCwYHpKUkjLt1tJmn-pPrKcvAi5_MeGA-exdbsQTnrM8pmDNeog$

Submitted by: Kiley Fellows

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please let the kids finish out the school year mask free and able to see their teacher’s and classmates faces. These kids need normalcy back in their lives.

Submitted by: Victoria Davison

Live or Work in the District: yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I would like to see you follow the Gov. recommendations of removing the school required masks on campus. Kids need to be allowed to be kids and we all should be able to smile at each other and also hear each other talk!

Submitted by: Maya Kohlenberg

Live or Work in the District: yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Hi, my name is Maya and I am a freshman student at Highland High. I have pretty bad anxiety and the possibility of not wearing masks freaks me out. In fact, this year just being in the halls with all the maskless kids was anxiety attack inducing. I have very at risk family members and friends and I want to protect them. Most of the people who support getting rid of masks are the parents of irresponsible students who have already gotten COVID. I know these people. I see them everyday with their masks under their nose, on their chin, or just completely off their face. I’m sitting in front of two of them right now. My friends and I have all been quarantined at least once and one of my friends even lost a family member. My classmates and I lost my freshman year to this pandemic, and if we get rid of the mask mandate, we will lose our sophomore year too. Keep the masks.

Submitted by: Bridget Z

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please make masks a choice for our children. There are several studies which show, not only are mask ineffective in reducing the transmission of Covid-19, but actually do more harm than good. They are harmful both physiologically and psychologically. Especially for our young children in the early stages of their social learning environments. Make masks a family choice. Thank you!

Submitted by: Brenda Fowler

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear GPS Board members, Please do NOT remove the mask requirement for our schools. The abrupt decision of the Governor to did not state that masks should not be required – only that the decision about masks would now be up to individual school districts. Mask wearing indoors remains a critical mitigation strategy to limit the spread of COVID19. I urge you to review the CDC website for the latest school guidelines. See below for a brief quote taken from the CDC website regarding COVID mitigation in schools. Thank you for your service to our students and community. Sincerely, Brenda Fowler From the CDC website: “Regardless of the level of community transmission, it is critical that schools use and layer prevention strategies. Five key prevention strategies are essential to safe delivery of in-person instruction and help to prevent COVID-19 transmission in schools: 1. Universal and correct use of masks 2. Physical distancing 3. Handwashing and respiratory etiquette 4. Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities 5. Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine Schools providing in-person instruction should prioritize two prevention strategies: 1. Universal and correct use of masks should be required 2. Physical distancing should be maximized to the greatest extent possible. All prevention strategies provide some level of protection, and layered strategies implemented at the same time provide the greatest level of protection. Schools should adopt prevention strategies to the largest extent practical—a layered approach is essential.”

Submitted by: Kyle Hernandez

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As a concerned father of a kindergartener it saddens me to have to put a mask on my healthy child. The science has suggested that children are not super spreaders as first thought. Also, We don’t know the long term effects that this is going to have on our children’s psyche . If parents still want to have their children wear masks that’s their right but, I would like to make that decision for my child. Talking to multiple other parents I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. If the board chooses to further politicize our children then parents will choose to seek out other forms of education. I hope my opinion and concern is heard by the board. Thank you for your time. 

Submitted by: Vance Salter

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please keep the mask mandate for the rest of the year, i have a very susceptible immune system and my siblings will bring back anything they get at school right back to me.

Submitted by: Ernest Warring

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please continue the mask requirement through the end of the school year. This follows the current CDC recommendations which you voted to follow. It also continues the expectations you set when students returned to in person learning. You told me you would work to create the safest environment for my child to learn. That is one of your responsibilities. If you remove the mask requirement, you will expose my student (and my family) to Covid as well as a variety of infections. This makes an unsafe environment for him and us. He is very anxious and stressed regarding the possibility of students not being required to wear masks. He not only understands the implications for our family. He realizes the reality of bullying that will occur should he continue to wear a mask if the requirement is lifted. He has been the victim of bullying at school (in GPS) that lasted over a year and caused us to move him to a different school. He is well aware of how it feels to be the victim of a bully. Removing the mask requirement will put him and other students who continue to wear masks at risk of being bullied. What will it do to the students who are required to continue wearing a mask? Maybe make them a little inconvenienced or uncomfortable. The same could be said for the dress code policy. Should you vote to remove the mask requirement, we may need to keep our student home for the rest of the year. We will have to consider the possible physical, mental, and emotional risks of placing him in an unsafe environment. Please continue to make a safe learning environment for our students by continuing the mask requirement through the end of the year.

Submitted by: Hannah Batchelor

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: Masks must be required at schools in the gilbert public school district in order to stop the spread of the corona virus. It is ridiculous and selfish to start taking away mask mandates at this time. The virus is starting to get better but can only fully go away if we all wear our masks and stay distanced. Listen to the professionals. Human lives over politics.

Submitted by: Tesha Hensley-Brown

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I urge you to keep the mask mandate for the remainder of this school year. My elementary aged children do not have the option to be vaccinated and we know per national and local health experts that universal masking in schools is still needed. It is so unfortunate that Governor Ducey has put school boards in this position. The CDC has not changed its position, as he implied, and the CDC still recommends that masks are worn. Per our local Maricopa County Health District’s website, our district is currently at Substantial Transmission Level, and MCHD also recommends continued universal masking. Those parents who request that masks be a choice are unwilling to understand that for masks to be effective for any one student, ALL students sharing a classroom need to wear them. We have gotten this far with masks, our kids are doing just fine, and we only have one month left of school. They need consistency and with AZMerit testing, end our year concerts, graduations, etc. coming up, our families need reassurance that the school environment will continue to be safe for all. The parents who do not want to contribute to the greater good and health of our school communities already have a choice: Global Academy. I strongly urge you to follow science and health experts, and keep the mask mandate in place.

Submitted by: Kayla

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: Please keep having students and teacher wear masks to school. Not everyone is vaccinated. Students under 16 aren’t even able to get vaccinated.

Submitted by: Brenda Walker

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please leave mask mandate in place at least through 2021