Mother creates Facebook group to unmask students

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    LAPEER COUNTY, Michigan (WNEM) — A local mom wants her kids to have the choice to wear a mask when they return to school in the fall and while it is months away, one health official says masks may not be necessary by that time.

“We should all have a choice,” said Tarrah Bashore.

Bashore is pushing for her children to return to school in the fall with no masks on.

“Personally, if people have a fear of their children contracting COVID and believe that the masks work, then they should be given the choice to allow their kids to continue to wear masks,” Bashore said. “If people don’t have that fear, then they should be given the choice to not have their child wear masks. I think it’s up to every individual family.”

The North Branch mother of two says that’s why she created the Facebook group named “Unmask Our Kids North Branch.”

Created Wednesday night, the group already has more than 340 members. But following the state COVID-19 data, Dr. Nicholas Haddad said it might not even be necessary toward the end of the year.

“It’s premature to give an opinion about the fall,” Haddad said. “If we guess, I think we’ll be in a good spot and we will be maskless. I’m really hopefully for that.”

The state has removed the mask mandate for vaccinated people and by July 1, health officials are expected to lift the state’s broad mask order, along with other restrictions.

But it’s not clear how that will impact schools since currently children 12 and younger are not able to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

So for now, Haddad says kids should keep the masks on.

“Right now I’m for kids continuing masking in the school until they’re out and then come fall, we will have clearer recommendations based on data,” Haddad said.

Bashore said she will keep rallying until her kids don’t have to mask up in school.

“Our children personally can’t stand wearing the masks,” Bashore said. “They have a really hard time breathing in them. They complain about it. They stated that they don’t get enough mask breaks throughout the day.”

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