Inside London’s Lord Elgin Public School Monday morning, it was a sight not seen in two years: maskless students.
With the pandemic forcing lock downs and mask mandates in schools, Monday marked the first-day maskless students could attend school.
The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) confirmed the changes before March Break.
At Lord Elgin, a grade 4/5 class CTV London visited had a large percentage of students opting to wear masks, but there were several children without them.
A grade 4/5 class at Lord Elgin Public School in London, Ont. shows a mix between masked and unmasked students on March 21, 2022. (Sean Irvine/CTV London)
Prior to the morning school bell at Glen Cairn Public School, a similar ratio as children filed into class.
Parents accompanying their kids to school continue to express mixed opinions on dropping mandatory masking.
“I think they should have waited a bit till mid-April with march break and everything,” stated one parent taking her two children to class.
Diana Pinnell, a grandmother taking her two grandsons to school, agrees.
“It’s too quick, especially with March Break. You don’t know where they’ve been, have they been on holidays, so I would give it a couple more weeks anyway.”
But, while there remains some hesitation, at least for now, many parents are ready to let their kids choose.
Melinda Ridgeway confirms she is letting her daughter Emily decide for herself.
“To not wear a mask, she is fully vaccinated. She still has her mask though.”
Melinda Ridgeway and her daughter Emily on March 21, 2022. Emily attends Glen Cairn Public School. (Sean Irvine CTV News)
A daycare provider told a CTV News camera, her child will continue to wear a mask, even though the parents of her daycare clients have gone the other way.
“It feels a little vulnerable to send them back with no masks, but they all had a choice, and they are choosing no masks.”
And as kids now sit in classrooms mixed with familiar masks and new expressions, they’ll have to figure out a formula for mixing.
But another parent is confident they’ll be better at accepting the choices of others than their parents have been over the last two years.
“I think the struggle was parents griping and complaining over the rules. The kids are fine.”
And indeed, young Emily is fine. She is happy friends will see her smile to celebrate an important milestone. “It’s my birthday!”, she exclaimed.
https://london.ctvnews.ca/some-masks-and-some-smiles-seen-as-schools-drop-mandate-1.5827752
