We the undersigned residents of Greenwich, Connecticut, ask the Town of Greenwich, the Greenwich Board of Education, and Greenwich’s private schools’ Boards of Directors to immediately make face masks optional for all students, teachers, and staff regardless of vaccination status.

Wearing of masks should be a decision between families and their chosen healthcare providers.

The wearing of masks in our schools does not serve the public health because there is little to no efficacy of cloth or paper masks, and there is negligible COVID spread amongst children or from children to others. Further, the use of masks covering faces of their peers and adults in the learning environment has negative effects on social development, and possible negative respiratory and bacterial health effects.

The mandatory use of face masks poses a higher potential threat to our children's well-being than the actual COVID-19 virus itself.

Preventative medicines, vaccinations, therapeutics, and treatments for Covid are now widely available and the use of masks is no longer justifiable. Other school districts and entire states have ended mask mandates with no adverse impacts. It is time for Greenwich to allow our children to breathe freely and enjoy seeing each others’ faces.