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We all remember a time when we could wake up for school and not worry about forgetting our masks. Back then, masks were nothing more than the best yet often outlawed part of our Halloween costumes. Ironically, that Friday the 13th of March, 2020, was scary for an unexpected reason. An alleged two-week break turned into months of social starvation and sleeping during class. Since then, our return to in-person learning has replaced that dormancy with a variety of stuffy masks.

Nearly nobody likes to wear a mask, and that “nearly” is a feeble attempt at being inclusive. Many of us miss seeing our friends’ faces. Others are plagued by not knowing what someone looks like. Perhaps the worst of all, they disrupt our comfort. As such, many have challenged the need of wearing masks in school. Throughout the country, political claims and emotional pleas have argued to return to a time when we could breathe freely.

I full-heartedly agree with these goals, but how does our convenience compare to science and life? Thousands upon thousands of people have been infected and even died from this pandemic. Many of us may even know someone who has dealt with COVID-19. Despite outrage from anti-maskers, it’s fairly undeniable that wearing masks on a widespread level helps limit the virus. Multiple studies have tested this idea, as epitomized by CDC research claiming that 59% of school outbreaks over nearly two months were in schools without a mask requirement. On the other hand, schools with a mask mandate from the first day accounted for 8.4% of the outbreaks.

I completely understand the annoyances of masks. Personally, my glasses become foggy whenever I breathe (funnily enough, the scariest part of a haunted house/corn maze I went to was being unable to see due to their mask mandate). Combine that with goggles in science class or standardized testing stress, it’s a miracle I haven’t thrown my glasses in a fit of rage. I too enjoy the brief escape during lunch and gym. But what does that matter in our current situation?

Some argue about political freedom. I’m all for freedom and rights, but this issue is more than being forced to use masks. Many actions, like wearing clothes and not cursing, are enforced at school. Some things are societally and practically more important than our individual choices. With all the science backing up masks, it becomes even more logical.

Others will argue that the pandemic is ending and our times of breathing problems are nearly over. I agree with them, but there is a condition. Things have improved due to social distancing, masks, vaccines, and more. Just because they aren’t 100% effective doesn’t mean we should stray from their proven value. If we abandon these things, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear about rising case numbers.

All it takes is some difficulty to protect our peers. Regardless of our personal feelings, safety trumps convenience. It relatively won’t be too long until we return to a time of fresh faces and free breathing. Until then, we must continue to do what is needed for everyone’s sake. Hopefully, we can see the smiles and fright the next Friday the 13th.

Annoyed that you have to wear a mask every day? At least it will lower the curve, right? Right? Florida, a state that has viciously opposed mask and vaccine mandates since the start of the pandemic, currently has the lowest COVID rate per capita in the country! In September, new COVID-19 cases for children ages 5-17 decreased 79% in the Florida counties where school districts did not mandate masks. Comparatively, the COVID cases for children in the districts that did mandate masking decreased 77%. The data provided by the Florida Department of Health and Florida Department of Education shows that schools that did not mandate masks had higher COVID declines than those that did. This is not to say that not wearing masks is inherently better than wearing masks, but that wearing masks provides no significant benefit. The decrease in cases in both types of schools was only off by 2%.

Even if they make no difference or a small difference at best, why not wear masks? Masks come with many drawbacks. Most notably is their environmental impact. Since the start of the pandemic, masks have caused environmental pollution because they are used only once and are required every day. Think of masks like your straw. You use it once then throw it away to join its distant relatives in a landfill. A Hong Kong-based environmental group predicts that at least 1.5 billion disposable face masks will end up in oceans this year. It’s not hard to imagine such a statistic when 3 million face masks are thrown out every minute. Even if you use a reusable mask, there is no denying the social behavior and development issues they pose, especially to elementary students. In an NIH (National Institute of Health) publication titled “Effects of mask-wearing on social anxiety: an exploratory review”, authors Sidney A Saint and David A Moscovitch conclude that “the effects of mask-wearing on social anxiety are likely to be substantial and clinically relevant.”

Even if you ignore the inefficiency of masks and their harmful effects, that doesn’t stop the fact that schools can’t enforce them well. For instance, I’m sure everyone reading this has already seen a student or two in class that refuses to put their mask over their nose. A teacher may give a stern warning, but as soon as they turn their back, the mask will come off again. Or what about the cafeteria? Schools require kids to wear their masks all day only to have them all take them off simultaneously while they eat. Or what about improper usage? I have seen too many kids take off their masks to sneeze and put them back on immediately afterward.

Additionally, why wear a mask if you’re already vaccinated? Those that typically are in favor of mask mandates are also the ones that are vaccinated and support vaccine mandates. Both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have efficacy rates of 95%. Since the COVID-19 vaccines are so effective, why should we wear masks? The CDC (Center for Disease Control) even states that fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear face masks indoors or outdoors. If people still have to wear masks after getting vaccinated, then what’s the vaccine for? A pretty card with the CDC logo? New Jersey has the seventh greatest percentage of kids aged 12-17 fully vaccinated in the country. In New Jersey schools, like Steinert, it wouldn’t make sense to require masks when the majority of the school has already been vaccinated. Lastly, a vaccine with a 95% efficacy rate is the greatest this country’s going to get toward reducing COVID-19. So if students still have to wear masks even when vaccinated, then when will the return to normalcy be?