Our members (who are parents and teachers) have told us, from their own lived experiences, that the wearing of face masks in class:
- Impede children’s learning, especially those with additional support needs
- Hinder communication, particularly children and teaching staff with auditory issues who rely on lip reading and full facial expressions to convey emotion
- Subject children to adverse judgment and ridicule from school staff for not wearing their masks properly at all times for up to 6 hours a day
- Attract adverse attention and peer pressure if claiming exemption, many having to forcibly disclose their personal health condition (in breach of Equality Act 2010)
- Exacerbate anxiety
- Deny fresh air and ventilation
- Exacerbate acne and other skin conditions
- Cause harm in the absence of risk assessments, none of which have been undertaken for our young people.
Testimonies from teaching staff
All wish to remain anonymous
"I am a secondary school teacher and have been teaching in various capacities since 2007. I am enraged and distraught in equal measures at the imposition of face coverings on our young people.
I honestly cannot fathom how those responsible for this decision can believe that covering the faces of teachers and students will not have a seriously detrimental effect on our ability to teach and students’ ability to learn... The process of teaching and learning is dynamic and reciprocal, replete with tangents, anecdotes, laughter, interactions in multiple directions etc. I manage behaviour mostly through body language and facial expressions.
And then there are all the young people who have additional educational needs...who have a hearing impairment, a visual impairment, have a form of ASD, have social and emotional difficulties, a background of neglect/abuse, are non-native English speakers etc. I am distraught when I think about all of those students... This will be a significant impediment to their learning and will only serve to worsen their experience of school overall.
I am instructed not to circulate around the class at the moment and to keep my distance from the students. Standing at the front of the room, unable to approach my students, masks often make it impossible for me to hear their oral contributions. Their voices are muffled, and I hadn’t realised until the introduction of face coverings just how much I relied on seeing my students’ lips move in order for me to understand their words....All in all, there is no doubt in my mind that face coverings are detrimental to their learning."
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“I’m a secondary school teacher. I hate masks in classrooms. I’ve found it very difficult to manage in terms of being able to communicate clearly with pupils (particularly those who are introverted or have additional support needs). It is also creating extra problems with regards to behaviour management.
“The logistics of constantly reminding pupils to put masks on, fetch replacements from the office etc take up so much valuable class time, which is particularly difficult when you are new to teaching and trying to build positive relationships with the kids. I’m not sure they’re worn consistently enough to be an effective measure, and the waste it is generating financially and environmentally is also worrying. I’ve also suffered from regular headaches and sore throats after teaching in a mask all day.”
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“I teach at a large secondary school in Glasgow and have been teaching for 20 years. Masks make teaching impossible. Loads of kids have anxiety issues now. Also much more behaviour issues too. Masks make it impossible to tell when someone is smiling or not.
“Masks are ruining our young people on so many levels. Headaches and mouth sores are at epidemic levels. Children who were previously withdrawn are now even more so and very reluctant to remove their masks. Mask wearing at this very important, formative time will have profound psychological impact.
“Masks make it impossible to hear students in class. You must ask kids to pull it down or shout to hear what they are saying. Likewise, it is impossible to teach, project one’s own voice across a classroom with a mask on. I don’t wear one. Prior to the summer holiday I wore a mask the best I could, but it led to excruciating headaches and tightness in my chest due to a lack of oxygen. I see many children who are more subdued and sleepier.”
“I'm a school support assistant in a secondary school supporting ASN kids in mainstream classes. Teachers wearing masks in classes definitely has a negative impact on the mental health of the kids I support, as well as the rest of the kids in class.
"They can't hear the teacher clearly and the teacher can't hear them clearly. My ASN kids are very nervous of the teachers because they can't read facial expressions and often ask if the teachers are annoyed with them. The staff in school are constantly shouting at the kids to put their masks over their noses and some are very rude to the kids.
"The subject both the kids and myself find exceptionally hard is home economics. When you have 14 ovens on for most of a double period we all leave the class feeling ill. One student has to leave the class numerous times because they can’t breathe…I get so frustrated watching and knowing there's nothing I can do.”
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“I am a pupil support assistant in a high school. It’s like something out of a dystopian society in high schools right now. Young people sitting in classes with masks on, facial expressions are being replaced by discomfort and unnecessary discipline procedures, such as calling home to notify parents their child is imposing a risk to others bla bla bla. Quote from my high school child “I’d rather wear a mask than miss school”, they are beginning to forget their own rights and what it was like before Covid. We cannot allow this to become normal.”
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Parents' testimonies
All wish to remain anonymous
“The introduction of masks into senior phase triggered a deterioration in my son's mental health. He has autism and the impact of masks and other restrictions on him has been a huge concern for teaching staff at his school. As restrictions became even tighter and masks were everywhere in school, his mental health deteriorated to the point that he could no longer cope in class, having to do his learning for Highers in the learning base where there are fewer masks. The removal of masks in schools will have a profound impact on his learning, but I fear the damage is already done.”
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"My son has had time off before the summer and after! It was wearing masks made him have a horrendous headache and lead to coughing and a chest infection. All we could put it down to was lack of oxygen etc etc. He has an exemption from me, I wrote to the head, but he still wears it because he doesn’t want to stand out! Normally he doesn’t go with the flow but not in the case. Totally fed up and it’s criminal what is happening! Down south, I’m from England, they haven’t had them in for months!!!!"
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“My son started S1 in August, so he now spends the full school day in a mask. He’s bright and usually very engaged with learning, but is struggling to ‘bond’ with his new teachers as he can’t see their expressions. He’s coming home hot, bothered and frustrated instead of inspired.”
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