September 8, 2021, 4:30 pm
Last week, the CDC flagged Washtenaw County, Michigan, as an area of rapid spread for the COVID-19 virus. Washtenaw County took the matter seriously, issuing a mask mandate for all persons in any K-12 educational institution. The mandate went into effect on Tuesday of this week.
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Today, a video posted to social media showed parents and children crowded outside the doors of a school in Manchester in Washtenaw County.
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The video begins with a father challenging a police officer outside of the school about what happens if the children don’t want to wear masks.
“If you don’t want to go in, you don’t have to,” the officer replies. “I’m not going to force anybody. I’m not putting masks on anybody. That’s not my job.”
Parents off-camera begin to heckle the officer. A mother shouts, “They do want to go in!”
The officer responds, “This is a County Health Department order, and an order of the school: anybody that goes in, they’ve got to have a mask on.”
Finally, the officer says to the parents, “I’m not arguing with you,” at which point the person taking the video yells, “They can go on in!”
The other parents begin to loudly encourage the group of children, repeating, “Go on in, guys!” and “They can’t enforce it!”
An administrator comes to the door to defuse the situation; but after a few moments, the students push past him.
People across the country were horrified by the sight of parents teaching their children to endanger others.
Others pointed out that a little bit of impartial discipline would go a long way:
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Several people were appalled that the police did not do more to enforce the mandate.
And—perhaps something for all of us to keep in mind as the pandemic continues—many reflected that those who won’t mask up, even when it’s mandated, should not be given the privileges of participating in the society that their behavior harms.
*First Published: September 8, 2021, 4:30 pm
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