I hate wearing masks just as much as the next person. I've been at my high school for four years now, I'm a senior. I lost an entire year, my junior year because of COVID-19.
I'm not going to go on a long stupid rant providing facts about COVID-19 as if you didn't already know that people are dying, and you already don't seem to care.
You don't listen to the signs you see posted on every hallway, you don't see the people with ventilation masks.
You see your precious football game. You see school "pride." You justify posing for a photo, claiming that masks were disregarded for an instant when instagram posts and stories on snapchat prove otherwise.
Masks are a clear symbol of empathy, something this generation prides its self on having. Empathy is more than arguing about pronouns on tiktok, it is respect.
How does our future look, when we claim to defend all genders, sexualities, and races, but cannot uphold a simple fabric cloth on our face?
Kids at my school who have positions of authority like student council or ASB are forbidden to speak on this matter as well. As if free speech tarnishes the school's precious reputation. This was demolished the second that photo went up. As if posting a picture with nearly one hundred unmasked students at a rally was going to go uncriticized.
It is not the job of students to police other students. Students should understand the brevity of the situation themselves, this isn't middle school. This is high school, where people are taking college level classes and entering that level of maturity.
Grow up, understand, gain empathy, fix our future, change, and for the love of everything put your mask on.