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Public Comments - 8/24/2021 Governing Board Meeting
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Please see below public comments submitted by form prior to the next Governing Board meeting on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. To view each public comment please click on the arrow to open. Click on the arrow again to minimize.
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Public Comment 1
Submitted by: Amber Holt-Geary
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I received five emails home this year already regarding a potential Covid exposure to my student compared to a total of three for the entire school year last year. When will masks be required for students? At what infection rate will hybrid or remote learning begin?
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Public Comment 2
Submitted by: Jenna Watson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional for students & staff!! I have three kids in district. We have options to many other districts near us. This is a very important issue to our family. Families deserve what is best for their own children!!!!!!
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Public Comment 3
Submitted by: Kelley muslin
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please leave it up to the parent to wear a mask.
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Public Comment 4
Submitted by: Matthew Kandoll
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I support a mask mandate for Gilbert schools. A mask mandate is essentially the only tool available to help protect elementary age students from covid.
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Public Comment 5
Submitted by: Allison Monroe
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Hello, Please consider following the guidance of the CDC and require masks for students and teachers in the classroom. There is another wave happening and our kids are paying the price. Please help us protect our kids that cannot get vaccinated, so that everyone can stay in school in person. At the start of COVID the board stated they would follow state metrics and AZDHS guidance. Both of those would show the need for mitigation in schools. Thank you, Allison Monroe
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Public Comment 6
Submitted by: Michelle Gransee
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please consider masks being required at school. Kids are being deemed sick when it’s just allergies and questioned by teachers. I don’t send my kid to school sick! But she does have asthma. Kids are getting sick let and right due to no masks. Please consider this a requirement at school
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Public Comment 7
Submitted by: Stephanie Johnson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Public health is not a culture war. It is not an opinion. You must implement stronger Covid-19 mitigation at least for K-6 schools where most students cannot be vaccinated. Other districts have mandated masks for a period of time. Other districts require a negative test to enter school. If you won't mandate masks, why isn't it required a child shows proof of a negative test BEFORE school starts? Saying the air filters are good and sometimes the kids distance is not enough. It's not enough by anyone's standard. I'm very sorry that other vocal parents--some of whom have spoken at this board or shown up to this meeting--seem to get more weight in the decision of how to keep our children safe. This whole ordeal has been demoralizing. I'm so incredibly sad and disappointed both in this community I live in and the district in which I send my child to school. Once again, this has been a stressful and complicated start to the school year and this is in part due to the inaction of this board elected to keep children safe and even acknowledge Covid-19 is still a pandemic.
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Public Comment 8
Submitted by: Melissa Thompson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: As a parent of two elementary kids who are too young to be vaccinated, I am beyond frustrated with the lack of protections for our children. Masks should be required and I have seen other districts find loopholes and other ways to enact a mask mandate. If masks are not enforced, distancing must be in place. No more open house, meet your teacher nights, no more large gatherings. Virtual learning isn’t ideal for our elementary children and I’m not advocating for that. If our school are in person (as I would like them to stay) then MASKS NEED TO BE WORN to protect or students, teachers, facility and staff. I am disappointed that I have to write this; do we not care about the long term effects of Covid on our future generation?
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Public Comment 9
Submitted by: Sofia A Tobar
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I removed my 5th grader after only 4 days of school, as they had positive cases in his classroom, and he and only one other child were regularly wearing masks. I want him to attend in person VERY MUCH, but is there any way we can protect the kids, until a vaccine is available, without mandating masks? Sadly he is attending Primavera, because they are much better equipped to manage online students than Global (which we had all last year), but I would LOVE if he could come back to in person classes - I'm just waiting for the District to take a stand for kids' safety. Is that forthcoming?
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Public Comment 10
Submitted by: Brandi Baker
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks for the kids at school. Keep it optional for the people that still feel the need to wear one, but it should NOT be mandatory for everyone. I am the parent and make the decision I feel is best for my kids and I choose to not have them masked.
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Public Comment 11
Submitted by: Michelle Bair
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I request that GPS keeps mask wearing optional for the entire school year. Students have had enough struggles the last year and a half and it should be left up to each family to decide if wearing a mask is the right thing for them. I know that my kids are so much happier being mask free this year.
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Public Comment 12
Submitted by: Staci Sturgeon
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I would like to request that the same COVID19 mitigation measures be put into place that were put into place last year including the benchmarks, mandatory mask wearing, etc. It is clear from the numbers of kids getting sick (no they might not die but over 1/3 of children ARE getting long COVID) that what we are doing so far this year is not working. The reason the benchmarks were put into place last year was due to scientific evidence that the mitigation strategies used worked and they did! Now for some reason, this year, with a stronger variant of the virus that IS affecting more kids, we're going to throw all that out because we have some parents that might be a little mad because their children are inconvenienced to wear a mask? That makes absolutely no sense and the only reason to not implement scientific mitigation strategies is if you are turning this into some political agenda which this is not. I don't care who you vote for - I want my kids and my neighbors kids protected and I WANT MY SCHOOL BOARD TO WANT THE SAME THING REGARDLESS!!!!!!!!!!!
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Public Comment 13
Submitted by: Alexa Ankeny
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I will pull both of my kids from Ashland and svjh if masks are mandated.
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Public Comment 14
Submitted by: Justine Woods
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: require masks & set up online school like last year- my kids have already missed 2 weeks of school from exposure from other students and need to be able to stay connected with their teachers. Every other school district is doing something about it. I will literally cover our legal fees to take Ducey to court. Not kidding- I will pay. My company will cover all costs.
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Public Comment 15
Submitted by: Caitlin G
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Masks need to continue to be optional! I currently have a 6 year old attending a school in your district. He is my first child attending school. He just started 1st grade. Last year he absolutely HATED kindergarten (cried daily) because of the masks. He attended summer school just fine and now in 1st grade he is just fine. Masks should be optional. Gilbert public schools does not have the right to make decisions for my children. I do as his mother. And my choice is no masks. I believe it is a form of child abuse. If parents want to wear masks or have their children wear masks and same goes for teachers, that's fine. That's their right. But I am not ok with my child wearing a mask. And I can tell you about 90% of the staff and parents of the students agree since most people do not wear masks which tells me they are NOT worried. If you are so concerned about what parents want for their children re masks then where is the surgery? I gave GPS a second chance and did not pull him out of school after last years crap. But if you mandate masks, I'm done. And so is my child. I will pull him and put him in a district or charter school that does not mandate masks. Higley and Chandler voted no for mask mandate. And I also want to remind you that masks cannot be mandate pursuant to Duceys order as of September 29th. Ducey also granted additional monies for school districts that do not have Covid restrictions. I suggest before making a decision, you speak with your financial advisor. And take into account IF GPS puts a restriction how many students will no longer be enrolled.
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Public Comment 81
Submitted by: Lorie welch
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: My daughter suffers from chronic headaches. Wearing the mask makes it worse.
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Public Comment 82
Submitted by: CHRISTINA M HATCH
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not mandate children to wear a mask. Masks have not been proven to work. If they worked we would not have anymore cases. Stopping COVID 19 by wearing a mask is like stopping the smell of a fart with underwater. It does not work!
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Public Comment 83
Submitted by: Andrea White
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep mask optional. My kids would struggle mentally if forced to wear them again and I would have to consider other options for schooling.
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Public Comment 84
Submitted by: Molly Gould
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not mandate masks for our children. Let the parents decide whether or not to mask their children. The data does not support children having to wear masks and all staff members have had an opportunity to be vaccinated.
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Public Comment 85
Submitted by: Stephanie Lundell
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: PLEASE keep masks optional! NO MASKS! We can’t do this anymore to our children!!
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Public Comment 86
Submitted by: Stacy Smith
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional
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Public Comment 87
Submitted by: Mona Johnson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Why aren’t we following our governors bill that past? This should NOT be required. Do you want to see more declining enrollment in our district?
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Public Comment 88
Submitted by: Jenny Camac
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not subject our children to another mask mandate. If families/parents want their children to wear a mask please make it optional.
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Public Comment 89
Submitted by: Shelly Lomu
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional. Please allow parents to make decisions for their own children. Thank you.
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Public Comment 90
Submitted by: Jason Miller
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not require masks for our children! At greenfield elementary, there are hardly any students or teachers wearing them. Meaning, this is not something our families want. Please keep them optional & do not make a medical mandate for our children.
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Public Comment 91
Submitted by: Katie Zaharis
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Risk is minuscule for children and all teachers/administration have had the opportunity to vaccinate. And, all have the option to mask up if desired. No need to mandate.
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Public Comment 92
Submitted by: Tricia bond
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please let our kids have a choice in there education and make masks optional
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Public Comment 93
Submitted by: Elly Dray
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Masks should always be optional depending on each student or staff members personal health concerns, religious beliefs, etc
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Public Comment 94
Submitted by: Kelsie Green
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks for children
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Public Comment 95
Submitted by: Alyson Groneman
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Masks should be optional. Parents should be able to decide this for their children. There are too many studies done that show masks cause more bacteria than a virus alone. There is NO scientific data to back up that masks work. This is setting our children back physically and mentally. Please listen to the parents. Thank you!
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Public Comment 161
Submitted by: Michelle Hansen
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional
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Public Comment 162
Submitted by: Jackie Wright
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please let every family choose for themselves if they should wear masks or not. I will look into other options for schooling if masks are mandated at school.
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Public Comment 163
Submitted by: Allie bates
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask
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Public Comment 164
Submitted by: Amy Singleton
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask
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Public Comment 165
Submitted by: Kimberly Ferreira
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I am a concerned grandparent. Do not mask our children! They need to have unrestricted breathing. The risk of illness to them does not warrant these extreme measures.
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Public Comment 166
Submitted by: Tricia Johnson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please let parents decide what is best for their children. You decide how best to teach the curriculum. Let people decide if they want to wear masks or not. If my mask protects you, then you wear my mask as well and you’ll be fine. We do not want masks!
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Public Comment 167
Submitted by: Jamie Heaps
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks
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Public Comment 168
Submitted by: Michelle Wolfley
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks! Please keep masks optional
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Public Comment 169
Submitted by: Paul Arnell
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks!
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Public Comment 170
Submitted by: Katrina Vanderhulst
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I would like the board to strongly consider enacting a mask mandate in the schools for all staff and students, to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 that we are seeing in the community and in neighboring states due to the current variant. We know that masks help prevent the spread AND protect the wearer when all parties wear a mask. Many parents are afraid to attend the meetings and/or speak up regarding the wearing of masks, but we all worry about our children who are catching COVID at an alarming rate. The 0-20 age group has reported 9,864 new cases in a 10-day period according to AZ DHS. We are seeing several neighboring schools enact a mask mandate to keep their staff, students and families safe from this vicious virus. PLEASE do something to keep the members of your school safe.
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Public Comment 171
Submitted by: Linda Arnold
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No Mask
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Public Comment 172
Submitted by: Kari Cullimore
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please don’t mandate mask.
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Public Comment 173
Submitted by: Natalie Arnell
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks
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Public Comment 174
Submitted by: James Johnson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: As a pediatric dentist, this is the wrong move. Let people decide. Kids come in with a nasty, gross masks to my office. They drop them on the floor, step on them, pick them up and put them back on. There’s more harm being done with masks than good. Let parents decide.
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Public Comment 175
Submitted by: Matt Heaps
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: NO MASKS.
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Public Comment 241
Submitted by: Adam Lundgreen
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not make my siblings wear masks!!!
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Public Comment 242
Submitted by: Rebecca Greenwood
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not vote in favor of imposing another mask mandate. No masks!
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Public Comment 243
Submitted by: John Lundgreen
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Don’t force our students to wear masks
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Public Comment 244
Submitted by: Austin Jihnson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No one should be required to wear masks
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Public Comment 245
Submitted by: Andy Greenwood
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: This is not a school board’s issue to solve. You are not medical professionals.
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Public Comment 246
Submitted by: Heather Fillmore
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not mandate masks for Our kids. We moved here from Washington state because the restrictions put in place for the children were the focus NOT education and actually teaching them something. It should be a choice not a mandate! Those that want to wear them can and those that choose not to shouldn’t be made to do it!
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Public Comment 247
Submitted by: Christa Price
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Keep masks PARENT CHOICE in GPS or we’ll gladly take our kids OUT of GPS! Higley District voted no on masks. Do the same GPS!
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Public Comment 248
Submitted by: Alicia
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: It should be optional and up to the parents if the stupids wear masks
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Public Comment 249
Submitted by: Amy K Bowler
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep our kids free of this oppression.
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Public Comment 250
Submitted by: Lara Binch
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks in GPS!!!!
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Public Comment 251
Submitted by: Amanda
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional.
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Public Comment 252
Submitted by: Benjamin Bobich
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Hello Board, I have three children at Mesquite Elementary (K, 3rd, 5th). We had a COVID case reported on 8/16 for a kid who was in class last on 8/10 for the third grade class. We kept our daughter home as a precaution. Contact tracing happened, and unfortunately despite this, another child came down with COVID a few days later. I had some discussions with the nurse, and learned that 1) Contact tracing is often done via school tables (who sits next to whom) and 2) The quarantines done via the contact tracing are not actually enforced. For example, if my child was contact traced, and had no symptoms, the school would not be able to prevent me from sending her in to school. No COVID test needs to be taken to return. The outcome of this is that COVID breakouts in classrooms are not getting "shut down" and infections could drag, causing kids to miss copious amounts of school. The final scary thing I learned is that even when there is a breakout, the kids in the classroom around the breakout aren't wearing masks. Only about a quarter of the kids were masking up when we had a known breakout in the classroom. To be frank this situation frightens me. When there is a breakout, we as a community are not doing what medical professionals would ask us to do, nor are we as a community applying adult judgement to the situation to prevent infections and get our kids able to stay in school. I would like you to consider the following for the sake of keeping schools open: 1) Allow the school to enforce contact tracing quarantine. Today all that happens is the parents get an email. Nobody enforces it, and this is a factor in our continued break out infections that can easily be fixed. 2) Require contact traced kids to have COVID tests to return. 3) If the teachers could raise awareness with students directly that there was a COVID case in the classroom after a report and offer the class masks which they can use at their discretion, this may help stem the spread. If the students are aware that COVID was in the class, even young children will be smart enough to mask up when offered one. Each teacher (not just the nurses) needs to be able to distribute the masks. It need not be the grown ups call in these types of situations when there is a known case. The teacher can offer masks as politeness, and the students should be able to accept it by their own judgement. 4) When there is a breakout, that classroom needs to be prepared to go online right away, just for a short time period. If we don't do this, the kids who slip the contact tracing process spread the disease over multiple weeks, resulting in breakouts that can affect a whole academic term. When we have a breakout case, we have to nip the problem in the bud much more aggressively. 5) Some schools are making masks part of the school dress-code instead of mandating masks thereby avoiding political conflict. If the school can legislate dress code policy around midriffs and skimpy shirts, they can do so with the masks as well. I don't know if such a measure would pass the school board, but I encourage you to discuss it, especially if it will help avoid a school closure. Thanks for your consideration. I hope someone has even better ideas as to how we can keep the schools open. Maybe these are a start, and help foster some creativity and ultimately lead to better solutions. Regards, Benjamin Bobich
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Public Comment 253
Submitted by: Molly Heaton
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please, please leave the choice of wearing masks up to individuals and parents. We have four children in the school district, have been attending GPS schools for 9 years and LOVE our schools. I have been very disappointed in GPS the past few years in regards to mask mandates and virtual/hybrid learning. My youngest started Kindergarten and will not continue at his school if he is mandated to wear a mask. It is not in the best interest of our kids, especially our elementary school aged kids. We have many choices for schools around us, and as much as I would like to stay with GPS, I will do whatever is best for my children. In the past GPS has been a highly respected and sought after school district, and I hope the board will carefully consider all its decisions to keep our school district the best around.
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Public Comment 254
Submitted by: Christa Price
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Make MASKS PARENT CHOICE. Or we’ll choose a different district! Higley District just voted no. Stay strong Gilbert!
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Public Comment 255
Submitted by: Stephanie Evans
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I want no mask requirements. Children should NOT be forced to wear masks to attend school.
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Public Comment 321
Submitted by: Michelle
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Keep masks optional!!!!!!!!! Obey Arizona law!!!
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Public Comment 322
Submitted by: Jayden
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Make masks optional!
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Public Comment 323
Submitted by: Tiana Ellsworth
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask mandate. Keep masks optional
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Public Comment 324
Submitted by: Amber Rohner
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please continue to allow parents to decide what is best for their children when it comes to masks. I do not want people who do not have children in our school district who I voted for to represent MY CHILDREN for me masking decisions that do not represent my sentiments. No mask mandates!
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Public Comment 325
Submitted by: Brandon Ellsworth
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask mandate. Keep masks optional
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Public Comment 326
Submitted by: Shannon Crandall
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: The board needs to vote to allow each family to choose if they want to wear masks or not. Last year was horrible! My kids struggled so much mentally. We will be pulling our kids from GPS if the masks are brought back.
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Public Comment 327
Submitted by: Soledad Watters
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask mandate. Optional and keep kids in school
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Public Comment 328
Submitted by: Andrea Toch
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Keep masks optional/ no masks for kids. Keep kids in-person with online option.
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Public Comment 329
Submitted by: Kelly Hahs
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Masks optional. Kids in person.
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Public Comment 330
Submitted by: Derek
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Masks optional!
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Public Comment 331
Submitted by: Gwendolyn Dranchak
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: My child cannot learn sitting in front of a screen all day. Please allow masks to be optional and leave the children in school to learn in person with their peers
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Public Comment 332
Submitted by: Karla Rita
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask/ mask optional
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Public Comment 333
Submitted by: Megan
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please DO NOT require masks at GPS. I have a son who is extremely shy and struggles with social confidence. He feels comfortable in a mask because it’s a way of hiding. This is doing more damage than good.
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Public Comment 334
Submitted by: Macrae Aronowitz
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: NO MASKS
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Public Comment 335
Submitted by: Amy Eagan
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No Masks
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Public Comment 401
Submitted by: Janelle douglas
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please leave masks optional!!! Many more kids will go to charter schools if masks are made mandatory. Let us CHOOSE!!!
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Public Comment 402
Submitted by: Audra Speth
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not mandate mask for our kids.
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Public Comment 403
Submitted by: Elizabeth Song
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional. Anyone who wants to wear a mask can already do so, there is no need for a mandate. Allow GPS families and staff members the freedom to choose for themselves. Thank you.
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Public Comment 404
Submitted by: Beth Hoopes
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask
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Public Comment 405
Submitted by: Shannon Carlson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not force our children to wear masks while at school for the next month until the law goes into effect. If parents are concerned for their children, they have the options to do either virtual school or have their child wear a mask. As parents, we know our children the best (including all medical conditions) and should have the right to choose what is in our child's best interest-- just as we have school choice/options and can choose to move our children if it does not appear that the current schools are the best learning environments for them.
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Public Comment 406
Submitted by: Scott Douglas
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please no masks! Keep masks optional! No at home/online school again! Thank you.
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Public Comment 407
Submitted by: Kamber Stoltz
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: no
Comment: Keep masks optional
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Public Comment 408
Submitted by: Chaille michael
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask
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Public Comment 409
Submitted by: Marcella Schlitt
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks at school
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Public Comment 410
Submitted by: Benjamin A Hunsaker
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Masks should not be mandatory. It should be a choice that parents and children make together. Not something that should be forced by people who believe that they know better than everyone else.
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Public Comment 411
Submitted by: Kristin Jose
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I am the parent of a GPS student with multiple disabilities. Based on my child’s IEP, the least restrictive environment was determined to be a self-contained special education classroom. I opted for online instruction because of Covid, and because my child has a history of severe illness with respiratory viruses. I was originally planning to send my child in person once they can be vaccinated against Covid, because currently they are too young. However, after our State legislators added an item to the K-12 budget bill banning masking or vaccination requirements not just for students, but also for teachers and staff, my husband and I decided that we would keep our child online for the whole school year. We chose this because without the ability to require masking or vaccines, we do not believe that you will be able to provide adequate Covid safety on campus, and that you will most likely be unable to provide in-person schooling without significant interruptions for quarantines. We are now in a situation where parents of disabled kids, who are at increased risk of severe illness with Covid, must choose between their child’s safety from an infectious disease or their integrated in-person education. I believe that this is profoundly immoral. It is my understanding that for now, possibly only for a limited amount of time, masking requirements are legal. I ask you to prioritize the safety of your students and their ability to stay on campus in person. You know that there are precautions you can take against Covid that will make a difference, because you did it last school year, when you did require masking. Even if you can only legally require masking for a month, it will be a month of protection for kids who can’t yet be vaccinated. There will eventually be an EUA for Covid vaccines in the under-12 age group, and even a temporary masking requirement might just bridge the gap to vaccine availability for these kids. Lastly, I ask you to remember the story of the Good Shepherd, who went off in search of one lost sheep even though he had 99 others. We are frequently told that 99% of people come through Covid just fine, but let’s not forget that the other 1% are people. They are human, and they have inherent dignity and worth. We parents trust you with our precious children, and so I call on you to be good shepherds while they are in your care.
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Public Comment 412
Submitted by: Casey Kirby
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: PLEASE leave GPS a mask optional district
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Public Comment 413
Submitted by: Aaron marion
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Give parents the right to choose! No mask mandates for our children.
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Public Comment 414
Submitted by: Chaille Michael
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask
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Public Comment 415
Submitted by: Cassandra kobie
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No
Comment: Getting rid of common core, teaching students real education (2+2=4, 11+6=17, 77÷7=11) normal math. guarantee that covide vaccine mandate will never apply to students or teachers. Teach students propper grammar and cursive.
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Public Comment 481
Submitted by: Mark Coleman
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: We love Patterson but if masks are required again we will take our kids out of school. They cause more than good especially with children in this age group
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Public Comment 482
Submitted by: Natalie Wright
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Keep masks optional, especially for the younger children. The vaccine is readily available for any teachers and staff and older children. All the adults in our home and our child who is 12 have been vaccinated. The current health and safety protocols are sufficient.
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Public Comment 483
Submitted by: Natalie Wright
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Keep masks optional, especially for the younger children. The vaccine is readily available for any teachers and staff and older children. All the adults in our home and our child who is 12 have been vaccinated. The current health and safety protocols are sufficient.
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Public Comment 484
Submitted by: Brandy Wilson
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Keep mask optional for everyone at schools.
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Public Comment 485
Submitted by: Stephanie Wallin
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks! Masks optional
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Public Comment 486
Submitted by: Becky Stevens
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks please keep masks optional
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Public Comment 487
Submitted by: Janelle
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No
Comment: NO MASKS!
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Public Comment 488
Submitted by: Amy Skinner
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Masks optional
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Public Comment 489
Submitted by: Mindi Moser
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I have 3 kids in Gilbert schools and will withdraw them all if the mask mandate is put back in place. Please make it a choice to wear a mask , not mandatory.
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Public Comment 490
Submitted by: Shari Ray
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Make mask wearing optional please
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Public Comment 491
Submitted by: Jessica Radcliffe
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional
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Public Comment 492
Submitted by: Bryan Radcliffe
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Keep masks optional
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Public Comment 493
Submitted by: Danielle
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: We have the right to choose whether or not our children wear masks at school, this should not be forced. Especially when, masks were being instructed to be worn last school year, OUTSIDE on the playground in 110 weather. However, it wouldn't have mattered if it was 60 degrees. They should ABSOLUTELY NOT be told to wear them outside on the playground. Also, these kids get their masks extremely dirty. Soiled. Some wear the same ones over again without cleaning. It is not healthy one bit and causes even more germs to get on their faces. Another important thing to note is that everyone is allowed to take off masks while seated at a restaurant, or in the school cafeteria, right? So the kids are already being "exposed" to one another every day anyway! They should be allowed to take them off at their desks too if you are really going to go through with this. Please do not mandate masks. We've been through enough.
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Public Comment 494
Submitted by: Melissa Wing
Live or Work in the District: No
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not mandate masks at school! Leave this decision up to the parents and stop taking away personal freedoms! Children cannot understand the teacher and struggle to hear what is being said when masks are worn! I have kids in both the high school and elementary school and this was a daily complaint last year from all 3 of my kids!
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Public Comment 495
Submitted by: Shari Lynn Johnson
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask or keep masks optional
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Public Comment 561
Submitted by: Sarah Carr
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: NO MASKS PLEASE. Please don’t do this to our kids. The science very clearly shows that kids are not at risk from Covid.
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Public Comment 562
Submitted by: Katie Wilkins
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional
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Public Comment 563
Submitted by: Matt Hawkins
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Keep masks optional.
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Public Comment 564
Submitted by: Angelica Pack
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please vote to mandate masks until all children under 12 who attend school can be vaccinated. My child does not have a choice but to attend in person because GPS took away his online SpEd program this year that we were enrolled in last year. We are being forced to send him into an unsafe environment every single day. I do not want my child to contract COVID as it would be very traumatic for him because of his sensory issues and lack of verbal ability to tell me what is wrong. I beg of you for mask mandates to keep my younger child safe and also an online option for my SpED student as most of the kids in his class opt out of masks due to disability. My son will wear a mask but it does not good if everyone around him is unmasked. This is an Airborne spread virus where wiping down surfaces will not stop the spread.
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Public Comment 565
Submitted by: Amanda Ekman
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please continue to keep masks an option for everyone in the schools. Everyone demanding masks has every opportunity to have their children wear a mask in school if they so choose. As a parent of a child with hearing loss, from chemotherapy, masks are detrimental to her both academically and socially, she needs to be able to see someone’s mouth move as they talk as do many young children who are leaning letters, words, and phonics. Please continue to allow masks to be something a parent can choose for their child and that teachers can choose for themselves as well.
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Public Comment 566
Submitted by: Jeremy Biggs
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not mandate masks or vaccines! Encourage them all you want, but please do not mandate them. It needs to be individual and parental choice.
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Public Comment 567
Submitted by: Brian Carr
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Do not implement a mask mandate for kids. Doing so would be a direct violation of SB1824. I will consider home schooling my child should such a thing be re-introduced.
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Public Comment 568
Submitted by: Kathy Thorpe
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Thank you for reading this feedback and for working to keep our kids safe. I want to express at this time my support of keeping masks optional for students of GPS. My children are all in elementary school and at that age masks are more of a burden than a benefit. They get slobbered on and stepped on and then donned back on the child’s face. One poor 2nd grader threw up in his mask last year because the rule was to keep it on. He ended up putting the dirty mask in his pants pocket because he didn’t know what else to do about it. Let me also mention kids sharing and trading masks. My daughter was excited to receive a cute mask from a friend and insisted on wearing it even though I told her it was unsafe. Do cloth masks really work? I believe they do not. If a person wants to protect him/herself from COVID, that individual should invest in a N-95 mask that protects the wearer. Thank you. Kathy Thorpe
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Public Comment 569
Submitted by: Mike Grassel
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No
Comment: Don't cave in to the angry minority. Look around in your community! The MAJORITY of our citizens do NOT want a mask mandate. States with mandates are doing no better than those without! Have courage and just say NO!
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Public Comment 570
Submitted by: Jaime Breinholt
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional in our schools!
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Public Comment 571
Submitted by: Ashley
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please mandate masks in our schools. Cases are on the rise and elementary students are not protected. CDC recommends unvaccinated wear masks, so our students should wear them.
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Public Comment 572
Submitted by: Brent Pack
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I am requesting a mask mandate be placed to keep those under 12 who can't be vaccinated safe. I have a pre-k student and he is one of 3 in a mask in a class of 10, that is not enough to keep him safe. I also have an autistic SpEd student and would like an online option for him. Although he is able to wear a mask only 1other student in his class of 6 wears a mask. Even if a mask mandate is placed those with a disability will be able to opt out of masks which still does not protect my mask wearing son. He did online last year and did well. It is not fair to offer online to all gen ed students but force him to go in person in an unsafe environment because he is in SpEd. It is the school districts responsibility to provide a safe environment for my child to learn in. On top of this his school day has been shortened because the principle refuses to accommodate his lunch by letting him eat in the classroom because he has severe sensory issues related to the cafeteria eating overall experience due to his autistic disorder. He would benefit and have more school time if an online program was offered.
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Public Comment 573
Submitted by: Kelsey
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks/please keep masks optional!
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Public Comment 574
Submitted by: Kristy Jabara
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask keep optional
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Public Comment 575
Submitted by: Michelle Morris
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do NOT mandate masks. Please keep optional. Thank you!
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Public Comment 641
Submitted by: Sarah Garlick
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please keep masks optional/ not mandated! RSV cases have skyrocketed because of masks. RSV is infinitely more dangerous to kids than covid. Let’s not put them in more danger.
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Public Comment 642
Submitted by: Kerrie Smith
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I can understand how many parents are split with the decision of what is safest for their children with some fearing COVID and others not. But for the parents that have children or family members with compromised immune systems or other health issues, they too have a choice to have their children wear masks, get vaccinated, homeschool or do online school. Masks will not prevent the spread of covid, colds or even the common flu. Are we to shut down our schools or lives every time a different strain of a flu virus occurs every year? Masks, just like getting vaccinated should be a choice and those that fear the common flu/ covid or other viruses have the choice: wear a mask, get vaccinated, stay home. But don’t impose your choice on others and make it a mandated issue removing the choice from others. Masks create more fear than they protect against the virus. Do we want our children to grow up living in fear or do we want them to have choices and understand freedom
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Public Comment 643
Submitted by: Leilani Skousen
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Parents should be able to make decisions for their children. I work in the health field and we allow patients to decide if they want to wear a mask. Parents know best and what works best for their children and their health.
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Public Comment 644
Submitted by: Leilani Skousen
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Masks optional
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Public Comment 645
Submitted by: Brooke mayer
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I feel the students should be given the option for masks or not. I’m vaccinated and don’t feel the need to wear a mask
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Public Comment 646
Submitted by: Robyn
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please no mask mandate
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Public Comment 647
Submitted by: Elizabeth Farnsworth
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I am writing in hopes that you will please finally consider the emotional and mental anxiety that this pandemic is unnecessarily causing our children. The constant bombardment of negativity, judgment, health and fear are taxing and damaging to these little ones that simply want to learn to read and swing on the swing. Implementing a mask mandate will only emotionally harm our children. It creates an atmosphere of fear. "Who is really under the mask?" "Can I trust someone I don't even know what they look like?" "Is a teacher upset or smiling?" "What are you saying, I can't hear you?" Children need to see the faces of others to learn to trust and be able to fully connect to another individual. Additionally, it is so difficult to hear someone's voice with a mask on. The academic understanding and ability to thrive in a classroom with masks is simply too difficult and frustrating that children are losing interested, falling behind, and becoming disconnected to the classroom environment that should be inviting, loving and focused. Please do not make masks mandatory. Give people the choice. Give children the best opportunity possible to thrive at school!
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Public Comment 648
Submitted by: Joe Turner
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Mandating masks for all children is not appropriate and has not been shown to statistically lower risks unless the proper mask is worn. Using cloth or paper masks increases potential upper respiratory illnesses. Allowing children to use masks is okay, FORCING children to wear them is negating my rights as a parent to consult with family medical professionals and do what is best for my child. The board needs to stick to education and allow medical decisions to be made by the parents.
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Public Comment 649
Submitted by: Tawna Mower
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No mask mandate please! Should remain optional only. My high school student will take his GED if mask mandates return.
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Public Comment 650
Submitted by: Karlynne Martin
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Working in the medical industry, I understand how important it is to wear masks and follow all precautions due to COVID-19. By that, I mean wearing masks whether or not you have been vaccinated, always washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, and or using hand sanitizer. I also believe in social distancing and know that all of these remedies work to help prevent COVID-19. Please ensure that our students are safe as they are children and do not fully understand the impact of what is happening. Please require masks in the schools so that some of our kids and family members that are vulnerable are protected from this deadly virus. Thank you.
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Public Comment 651
Submitted by: Brooke Mayer
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: I am fully vaccinated and don’t need to wear a mask to school. I don’t feel it’s fair to force masks
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Public Comment 652
Submitted by: Ali Pond
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks
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Public Comment 653
Submitted by: Ian Nyberg
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: If we are serious about teaching our children to learn to apply empirical science to live better lives, then we must teach them how to identify experts in different fields and to learn to evaluate and follow their advice. The top epidemiologists and virologists are being very clear: • Due to the circulating and highly contagious Delta variant, CDC recommends universal indoor masking by all students (age 2 and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics: • Since the pandemic began, children represented 14.6% of total cumulated cases. For the week ending August 19, children were 22.4% of reported weekly COVID-19 cases. In spite of politics, we should encourage everyone to wear masks in school. They have been proven to save lives during the current global pandemic. Ian Nyberg, MD, PhD, parent of two in elementary school
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Public Comment 654
Submitted by: Caren Rodgers
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: No masks/ keep masks optional
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Public Comment 655
Submitted by: Sarah Barton
Live or Work in the District: Yes
Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes
Comment: Please do not mask our children. We will consider pulling our kids out if you do. It’s not right!