Posted on 03/13/2022 8:01:00 PM PDT by conservative98
PORTLAND, Ore. — Approximately two dozen Portland Public Schools students rallied outside the district's headquarters Friday morning over its decision to make masks optional once the statewide mandate is lifted this weekend.
Students protest Protest over mask mandate in Portland
"I think that honestly telling people to take off their masks is really selfish to people who don't have that option," Franklin High School student Serafina Sabatini said.
Starting Saturday, March 12, masking will no longer be required in indoor public places, including schools, in Oregon. This means masking will be optional in schools beginning Monday, March 14.
Sabatini is worried about the younger kids she works with outside of the school setting, namely the little kids she crosses paths with as a swim instructor.
"I can't wear a mask during that," Sabatini said. "I wear a face shield, but since we're in a pool I can't wear a mask and I don't want the mask mandate lifted at schools because then I can be exposed and possibly expose part of the vulnerable population."
It is concern for the vulnerable populations that prompted Friday's student walkout.
"I see my grandma every week," Franklin High School student Avani Stevens-Rose said. "She's not super immunocompromised. It's just in general. I have friends who live with their grandparents."
"I feel very strongly that there are people in our community that'll be heavily impacted by lifting the mask mandate," Ida B. Wells-Barnet High School student Jazz Stahr added.
At a Friday afternoon press conference outlining Oregon's pandemic recovery plan, state leaders addressed the students' concerns about shedding masks.
"Our districts are using the COVID-19 community levels tool that now shows most of Oregon's counties in the low level of community levels and suggests from the CDC it's a time where it's safe to go without masks," Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill said.
Gill reminded students that masks will never be prohibited. He encourages students and staff who want to continue wearing masks to do so. Students who walked out of class Friday will be among those who keep wearing masks.
"Of course I will," Sabatini said. "A KN95."
“I feel very strongly that there are people in our community that’ll be heavily impacted by lifting the mask mandate,” Ida B. Wells-Barnet High School student Jazz Stahr added.
Key word: FEEL
Masks provide exactly zero protection against COVID... your FEELINGS notwithstanding.
If it makes you FEEL better, wear two or even three. Wouldn’t that make up for anyone else not wearing one?
24 high school kids being stupid is worthy of a news story?
They view it as a sign showing the world they are progressives and care....more than we do of course
24 leftist student make for a story in a leftist newspaper. This is information warfare, folks, and is one way CWII is being fought by the enemy democrat party.
Like the kid you can’t potty train because they prefer the diaper
Two dozen students (out of how many thousands? ) does not support the headline which implies ALL students walked out.
From the pictures at the link, it looks like a bright sunny day, and from their dress, it wasn’t very cold.
Student walkouts and protests like this never seem to happen on cold, rainy days.
Forget it Jake. It's Portland.
That’s what lefties can’t do.. leave the rest of us alone.
Suppose a mask with a big pore catches a virus particle with a small diameter. Do you know what happens to that particle after that? Would subsequent exhalations blow that particle out?
Teenage Lemmings. By design.
We’re so screwed.
That depends on whether there’s electrostatic interaction between the two. Some fabrics work this way but cotton or polyester ones like are sold for common use do not.
Won't matter can't fail anyone in Oregon schools anymore.
Thanks for the reply.
Suppose a mask with a big pore catches a virus with a small diameter. Further suppose it has electrostatic interaction.
Does the electrostatic interaction last for the hours that some masks are worn?
Suppose one or more virus particles come along after the first one is caught. Are they also affected by the electrostatic interaction? If they are all caught, does this obstruct the pore? If the pore is obstructed, does this increase the pressure? Would it be hard to breathe? Would increased pressure overcome the electrostatic interaction?
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