Teacher plans to have students vote on masking in his class
By Tori Mason
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DENVER (KCNC) — The City and County of Denver is lifting its public health order requiring face coverings in schools at the end of the month. While students have the right to continue wearing masks, one Denver teacher is asking his classrooms to make this decision together.
Tim Hernández, a teacher at Denver North High School, says students in his classroom should have a voice when it comes to matters of safety. He plans to let students take a class vote to determine if they’ll continue to wear masks.
“Let’s look at some of the data, some of the opinions people are having, and let’s take a literal class vote on what’s safe for us, what’s not safe for us, and asking students to abide by what our community agrees is safe,” said Hernández.
Last month, students at North High walked out of class for a demonstration saying they feel unsafe with the school district’s current COVID regulations.
Hernández says he acknowledges students’ frustration with masks after having worn them for two years. However, he recognizes every student’s situation is different.
“I’ve had students who have said ‘Look, that makes me really scared because I live in a multi-generational household’ or they live with a younger sibling who isn’t vaccinated. They are very real social circumstances,” said Hernández. “My classroom is building towards a society where we make decisions based upon where the pain is most not where the privilege is most.”
Hernández hopes his classes take their classmates into consideration.
“If they don’t want to, we’ll listen to them. We hear their concern, and we’ll talk about if that is the community that we want to live in,” said Hernández. “Ask them, ‘Hey, there are people in our class who have openly expressed and we voted and made a community decision. Can we honor that?’”
While masks will no longer be required, DPS says they’re still strongly recommended for all students, staff and visitors. DDPHE will continue to closely monitor the situation in schools and act accordingly if any changes with COVID-19 take place.
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