Student Body Reacts to Galloway's Mask Optional Policy
In an email to the Galloway Community on Tuesday, February 17, the Galloway administration announced that, for the first time since March of 2020, it would be taking on a mask optional policy for all students, regardless of vaccination status. After taking effect February 22, a week after said announcement, students and faculty are now allowed to leave masks at home after a decrease in omicron variant covid-19 cases. The school cited high vaccination rates in each school level: 96% of faculty and staff, 95% of Upper Learning, 90% of Middle Learning, and 83% of Early Learning. This announcement came, seemingly to many, without warning and sparked instant conversation among students, families, and faculty.
Some found that the timing of the announcement seemed odd, given the switch to mask optional began in the midst of Excursion and two weeks before students left for Spring Break. When asked how she felt about it, senior Sophie Volpe replied with a shrug, “I think the timing of it is just dumb… They should’ve waited until we all got back from Spring Break to make sure there weren’t any cases.” Other students also found the announcement to be a sudden shift to Galloway’s policy. “I agree with it, but it was very abrupt,” said Caleb Kopitsky. “I wonder what input the teachers had. It’s important that [they] have a voice, and I hope the administration [had time to] give that to them.”
Oppositely, some students thought the announcement couldn’t have come sooner considering anecdotes they’ve heard about other Atlanta schools’ mask policies. “A lot of schools have been doing this for the entire year and haven’t published it and haven’t had any issue,” said senior Sydney Feld. Nearby students chimed in and reaffirmed, citing friends’ experiences outside of school.
Cece Benz (‘22) reacted to the news with slight apprehension but felt the shift had to happen eventually. “No matter when they lift the mask mandate, there will be controversy,” she said frankly. “I don’t think [Galloway] decided this out of nowhere either. I think there was a lot of thought put behind it, and if you’re following science, it seems fair.” Generally, this sentiment seems to ring true for most Galloway students.
Regardless of whether students directly agree or disagree with the lifting of the mask mandate, they can choose how to go about mask-wearing in coordination with their personal beliefs. Students now have the agency to make a choice about how and where they wear their mask, at least for the time being. “I’ll be wearing mine in high-risk spaces but will happily take it off in class,” Rebecca Dorian (‘22) said. “I’m just glad we at least have an option now.”
By Annie Levy