Students Report Little Mask-Wearing Controversy

The mask mandate for the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) was lifted at 11:59 on March 11. The 1st school day with this in effect was March 14, the 1st day of the 4th quarter. According to the district, masks are now “strongly recommended” as opposed to being “required.”

Principal John Walker said that as AUHSD has previously followed state and country guidance, Campo is “under an obligation” to follow it as well.

With this, Walker has decided to personally adjust his masking habits as he sees fit, depending on the environment. “There’s still some very crowded indoor situations, where I think it’s still appropriate [to wear a mask].”

“However,” Walker added, “Students, families and staff also will have a choice now. So a key goal in this transition to a new set of masking guidance is to make sure that we respect people’s choices. Some students may choose to continue masking in class. Some will choose to go without a mask. But we need to respect [those choices].”

So far, senior April Mao believes that there has not been much pressure from either mask-wearers or non mask-wearers to conform to either side. “I think Campo’s very chill about whether or not you wear a mask or not…I haven’t gotten any judgment for [wearing my mask],” she said.

On the other end of the mask-wearing spectrum, junior Kemora Goldstein agreed that there hasn’t been much controversy. “Most people don’t wear their masks like me, but from what I’ve heard there hasn’t been much pressure to conform to either side.”

Senior Annie Li agreed and said that both Campo students and staff have been “welcoming” to whatever decision people make.

In terms of wearing her mask, Mao said she feels almost “naked without [it]…I’m just really used to it now but also, I know in a lot of my classrooms it’s really squished because [in some classes I’m] literally 2 feet away from people. So I just like to keep it on for comfort…I’m going to ride out the next month and see how cases are and how it’s going to go and then after that, decide whether or not I want to continue wearing masks.”

Mao said she also has “no judgment if you wear or don’t wear your mask, because it’s your choice to do so…But I would say, if there’s like a teacher who’s immunocompromised or has family members who are more sensitive to that, and they ask you to wear a mask, I would say [to] respect that.”

In the future Walker also expects there to be no controversy at Campo for those who do decide to wear a mask and those who don’t. “And we’re going to honor those individual and family choices,” he said.