Photo Courtesy Of: Dibo Elango

On September 1st, the Cherry Creek School District initiated a new mask mandate, effective immediately. All students K-12 have been required to wear masks on school grounds.

Students and staff have displayed a wide range of emotions, and have had their fair share of thoughts about the news. 

“I can’t breathe, I can’t do anything without people telling me to pull it up, people can’t hear me when I’m talking, it’s just so much work has already gone so long without wearing them, ” said freshman Bryton Dehaven. “I think it’s kinda pointless to just start wearing them for no reason.”

The resentment towards the mediate is also felt by fellow freshman, Kyler Vaughn.

“Unless someone abuses [being maskless], I feel like it’s too much,” Kyler adds.

This opposing outlook on the mandate is felt equally throughout the whole student body. 

“I’m okay with it,” said Junior, Emma Amoroso. “I wish it wasn’t a necessity, but since it is I’m okay with doing my part.”

“I like how it protects more of the younger kids, but I dislike how we have to wear masks around each other, especially when half of us are vaccinated,” freshman Kyler Vaughn said. “It defeats the purpose I feel like of getting vaccinated.’’ 

“I do my part and I wear a mask,” said Amoroso.

Across schools in Colorado, there have been numerous instances of anti-mask protests being led by students, even here at our school. Many students had mixed opinions about the protests.

“I don’t think that’s gonna change anything because it is a state decision so a couple of high school students won’t make a difference,” freshman Bryton Dehaven said. “Even though I am on their side, we should do something about it, but definitely not do that.”

“One of the things that I think make America great is we have the right to protest against the government, but in this particular case, you know I’m an employee of the state so I have to follow the states rulings and so whatever I feel personally doesn’t really matter,” said Dean Mr. Doherty. “I just gotta follow the rules.”

This mask mandate does not only come with rules, but also consequences. After three strikes of not following directions of wearing your mask, you will be sent home and start online school for the remainder of the school year. 

“Some teachers have told me after three strikes of not wearing a mask, they will take me back to online school, and that’s not happening,” said freshman Jacob Nicoli. “They need to fix their attitudes.”

Amoroso disagreed.

“I’m not worried about it because I do my part and I wear a mask,” said Amoroso. “If people don’t want to that’s their choice honesty and their choosing the consequences so I’m personally not worried about it.

Whether or not people agree with this new policy, it does not look like the CCSD is going to change things anytime soon.

“The school district is following the policy that the Tri-county has put in place, and my loyalty is to the district, so we do what we have to do,” said Mr. Doherty.