As the State of California still requires masking in schools, Mariposa Sheriff Jeremy Briese says that it is creating some tension in the county. Sheriff Briese put out a statement calling for respectfulness and open-minded ideas from both sides.
You can read his statement below:
“Mask usage for COVID-19 has been a debate that has divided the nation, the state, our community and friend groups. We have become fixated on masks as the end all for COVID-19, forgetting about the countless other ways we can protect ourselves and our families. There are people for and against the mask for reasons each side sometimes can’t understand, however, we cannot let it divide us even further.
We need to agree to disagree. We need to give parents back their voice for their children. We need to give our teenagers the ability to make decisions and we need to show our youth that it doesn’t matter which side you are on, because in the end we are still a community. We need to come together and focus on what is important, the community supporting each other, working together to find a solution that works for all sides. We have to be the example and find solutions for generations to come.
We know there is local tension with our school district and parents regarding masks. What I would ask of both sides is to listen with open ears and be respectful of each other. Be accommodating to the needs of each child and be open-minded to ideas. We have to work collectively for ALL of our kids.”
-Sheriff Jeremy Briese