"Mask Friendly" Isn't So Friendly

Dr. Gutekanst declared that on March 7, Needham Public Schools would officially go mask optional under the term “mask friendly.” This meant students, teachers, and all other staff members could make the decision of when or where to wear a mask. As the daughter of a doctor and overall a prominent supporter of mask-wearing in general, I was worried about this impending day. Every time a place has lifted a mask mandate, cases skyrocketed, so I, of course, expected nothing different for Needham Public Schools.

On March 7, I came into school and sat in my favorite study spot in the 750s, isolated from those around me, so I took my mask off. Since my first class of the day was on Zoom, I did not see the first block hallway traffic. However, during the period, I took a lap around the 700s, peeking into the classrooms. Only a couple of students were wearing masks if any at all. I mentioned this to some of my friends, who then said they most likely were not going to wear a mask if nobody else was. Just last week, these same friends were wearing masks in places that had been mask optional for months. What had changed? What was the difference between wearing a mask while grabbing coffee last Tuesday and wearing a mask while walking into school on March 7? The answer is simple: social pressures.

Since our parents and grandparents were high school students, there was a clear unwritten rule to conform: “stick to the status quo”. Social conformity is the key to surviving high school. Most students dress the same, talk the same, and act the same. In ninth grade, when everyone wore LL Bean slippers and vests to school, I wore LL Bean slippers and a vest to school. So, I guess it came as no surprise that mask-wearing was no different. Even some seniors fear being the only student wearing a mask in class because this would make them stick out. Often, our views go out the window when the overwhelming majority act directly against our beliefs.

I am, by no means, one to judge. If this pandemic had been shifted two years earlier, and if I had been a sophomore, my stance would have been extremely different. As a sophomore, I was doing anything I could possibly do to fit in. I had years left of high school, so I was terrified of standing out. However, I have less than three months left of high school at this point. Obviously, I am not immune to fearing judgment from my peers, but in three months, I can say that I most likely will never speak to the majority of my classmates again. I chose not to conform because my beliefs are stronger than my fear of standing out, and I just do not have the energy to care about what other people think anymore. I truly do not know how long I will last. I am writing this article on day 1 of “mask friendly.” In a week I may have given into the social pressures like many around me. Other students choose to wear a mask to protect themselves and/or family members who may be immunocompromised. I am one of few people who made this decision. The high schooler's desire to conform overcame most students’ beliefs. Students are making health choices based on whether they are willing to look different than others. It is nearly impossible for high school students to make a personal decision without the influence of the decisions of their peers. So although mask-optional may be “friendly”, does it really allow us to act on our individual beliefs?

Many in support of lifting the mask mandate argue that case numbers are significantly lower. It is true that the rate of change of the case number is decreasing, but case numbers themselves are still extremely high. The mask mandate was not lifted because of science but rather because people are just done withCOVID. Additionally, the CDC lessened the quarantine time to five days again not because of science but because it was hurting the economy.

People cannot just be done with a pandemic; that is not how a pandemic works. Inevitably, cases will go back up again. This pandemic is far from over. Eventually, COVID will become normalized like the flu, but right now is scientifically not the time. The high school students who agree that a pandemic cannot just end because people say that it is over are not truly able to wear their masks because standing out in high school may be worse than a pandemic.