(ID 15203875 © Design56 | Dreamstime.com)

By Tiffany Goodwein

reconsidering enrollment

Family opposed to masks in school

Aug 5, 2020 | 5:43 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- A local family is weighing in following the province’s announcement Tuesday, mandating masks for staff and students in Grades 4- 12.

Come the start of school this fall masks will be required for students in Grades 4-12 in shared and common areas like hallways and school buses, but they would be optional in the classroom when students are seated and proper physical distance can be maintained.

All staff, according to the province are required to wear masks when physical distancing can’t be maintained.

Still, some parents are skeptical of the province’s plan.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Firefighters take win over Police Service in Medicine Hat sledge hockey game

5h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

'Treblemakers' gives learning musicians courage in Medicine Hat

23h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

Diverse personal stories shared at 'Pecha Kucha' in Medicine Hat

Jan 17, 2025

Jessica Mytrash has a student entering Grade 4and she is not in support of students wearing masks and believes they should be optional. She said she’s reconsidering her daughter’s enrolment for in-school classes come the fall and may opt for homeschooling, which she has done in the past instead.

“I just don’t think that the children should have to wear a mask, especially when the mayor made an announcement that Medicine Hat as a city is not required to wear a mask, and then the minister of Alberta Education enforces that for all schools,” she said.

“It’s common knowledge to wash your hands to practice hygiene those sorts of things to keep incorporating that and if that can be practiced, and there’s a zero tolerance for anyone to be in school if you are sick then nobody at school should be sick,” Mytrash said.

Both Mytrash and her mother Shiela Eckert also expressed concerns about the COVID-19 protocols further impacting students’ emotional health and ability to learn and connect with teachers.

“Even as adults we touch our faces, kids pick their nose they cough, they talk they don’t want to be socially distanced. They want to touch, they want to hug their friends.

“This is not normal for kids to not do that. We are always wanting to be with people and to socialize and now we are told to keep our distance, wear these masks, and it is going to prevent this virus.” Eckert said.

Eckert added that she feels for parents who don’t have a choice but to send their kids back to school.

“You want to protect your kids and your grandkids. Some parents have to go to work because they need both incomes or single parents,”

“There’s no other option for other parents because where are you going to send them? A lot of parents don’t feel comfortable homeschooling because they feel they don’t have the knowledge to go through with this and how are they going to pay their bills and so on?”