“The mask mandate is frustrating on several fronts,” she says. “A few weeks ago, I attended a back-to-school night at Central Bucks South High School. I felt like I was in a hospital. I couldn’t understand what teachers were saying. I couldn’t see anyone’s face. This environment is leading to learning loss. A few nights later, I was at a Guns N’ Roses concert with 7,000 mostly unmasked fans. This is madness. Especially considering Pennsylvania’s guidance is so different than the World Health Organization (WHO), Europe, and ‘red’ U.S. states.”

She’s not alone in her frustrations. The third consecutive pandemic-affected school year has been marked by raucous debates over school mask mandates. As of Oct. 15, mandates have been issued in 16 states and Washington, D.C.; nine states have bans on mandates, and four of those have their mandate bans in legal limbo. In Pennsylvania, lawmakers unsuccessfully pushed to have the statewide mandate be subject to oversight like other regulations. District or county mandates add even more layers to disputes.

Meanwhile, countries throughout Europe, including the U.K., Ireland, and Denmark, exempt most children from mask requirements. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommends against masking in elementary schools. The WHO says young children should not be masked and recommends a risk-based approach for children aged 6 to 11.

These flexible policies are likely driven by the fact that children up to age 17 have the lowest COVID hospitalization rate – typically less than 1%. And the delta variant, although more contagious, does not appear more dangerous to children. Moreover, recent op-eds by doctors in the Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic show that the scientific case for masks on young children is not settled – particularly given potential negative impacts on developmental skills, mental health, and more.