Charter school asks students not to mask to help ‘normalize’ not wearing masks at school

SALT LAKE CITY – The American Preparatory Academy is asking students not to wear a mask during their last three days of school.

According to an email sent to parents, the academy noticed most students wanted to wear masks when they weren’t required or asked in their schools.

The academy asked parents if they were instructing their children to wear masks at school, but “100%” of parents said their children wanted to wear masks because they “feel more comfortable” with a mask.

The academy realized that students wore masks for “emotional comfort” instead of being “physically healthier” or were “afraid of COVID.”

“They [students] are now accustomed to the anonymity the masks provide,” said the email. “They like the reduced level of communication that is required of them by wearing a mask.”

The academy believes that this trend is harmful to the students’ “academic and emotional growth” and asked students not to wear masks at school for their last three days.

In the email, the academy has “been patiently waiting, hoping to see these students remove their masks on their own,” but noticed it was not happening at their schools.

“We would like to see the students’ faces and help them normalize not wearing a mask at school,”  continues the email. “This will help them be prepared for school in August.”

Only students with medical exemptions and uniform code exemptions will be able to wear masks starting in August, according to the academy.