The county-wide “mask” mandate issued by the Salt Lake County Health Department Friday, January 7, is much worse than you realize.
Come Monday, thousands of parents will be sending their kids to schools in masks, thinking that that will be enough to comply with the order.
Think again.
Late Sunday night, the Salt Lake County Council Chair issued a press release that confirms that there are legitimate medical reasons for needing a respirator or mask exemption, and that obtaining an exemption can be done by directly informing your child’s school of the medical need for one.
The Public Health Order of Constraint is mandating RESPIRATORS, not just masks. Multiple school districts have already announced they’ll be meeting your kids at the doors to give them “masks” to comply with the Order. What they’ll be getting is a KN95 respirator like this one:
Look at the warning on it…its misuse may result in sickness or death.
This type of mask is highly restrictive on a person’s breathing. So much so that prolonged use is NOT recommended.
Schools are expecting your child to stay in a mask like this for the entire duration of the day. Some schools, like Indian Hills Elementary, have been telling students that they have to wear their masks at recess. No exceptions, no mercy.
This is patently abusive. It’s an unprecedented violation of a person’s right to bodily autonomy and safety.
The big thing parents need to be aware of is that State code governing county Health Department powers allows them to ONLY:
- (d) establish and operate reasonable health programs or measures not in conflict with state law
(Utah Code 26A-1-114 – Powers and duties of departments)
Read the bottom of this post to see the numerous ways in which this RESPIRATOR mandate comes into conflict with existing state law.
Do masks or face coverings cause your child to experience any of these adverse physiological and psychological effects?
👉 hypoxia
👉 hypercapnia
👉 shortness of breath
👉 increased acidity and toxicity
👉 activation of fear and stress response
👉 rise in stress hormones
👉 immunosuppression
👉 fatigue
👉 headaches
👉 decline in cognitive performance
👉 predisposition for viral and infectious illnesses
👉 chronic stress
👉 anxiety and depression
If so, you have a reason to request AND obtain a medical exemption for your child on your OWN RECOGNIZANCE as a parent. No doctor note needed. The medical order itself states:
[T]he following individuals are exempt from the respirator, mask, or face covering requirements:
2. An individual with a medical condition, mental health condition, or intellectual or developmental disability, that prevents the individual from wearing a respirator, mask, or face covering; or
3. An individual who has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1414, or an accommodation under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §794, that would necessitate exempting the individual from wearing a respirator mask or face covering.
Your letter can be short and sweet:
"This letter is to inform [SCHOOL NAME] that my child, [CHILD NAME] qualifies for a respirator or mask exemption due to a medical or mental health condition, or intellectual or developmental disability.
My child will not be wearing a respirator or mask and school administration and staff are prohibited under law to isolate, disaccommodate, or deny my child the right to equal access to education under the law.
STATE CODE REGULATING THE PHYSICAL TREATMENT OF A CHILD:
53G-8-302 Prohibition of corporal punishment — Use of reasonable and necessary physical restraint.
(1) A school employee may not inflict or cause the infliction of corporal punishment upon a student.
53G-9-601 Public Education System — Local Administration —
Health and Welfare — Bullying and Hazing Definitions.
As used in this part:
(1)
(a) “Abusive conduct” means verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a parent or student directed toward a school employee that, based on its severity, nature, and frequency of occurrence, a reasonable person would determine is intended to cause intimidation, humiliation, or unwarranted distress.
(b) A single act does not constitute abusive conduct.
(2) “Bullying” means a school employee or student intentionally committing a written, verbal, or physical act against a school employee or student that a reasonable person under the circumstances should know or reasonably foresee will have the effect of:
(a) causing physical or emotional harm to the school employee or student;
(b) causing damage to the school employee’s or student’s property;
(c) placing the school employee or student in reasonable fear of:
(i) harm to the school employee’s or student’s physical or emotional well-being; or
(ii) damage to the school employee’s or student’s property;
(d) creating a hostile, threatening, humiliating, or abusive educational environment due to:
(i) the pervasiveness, persistence, or severity of the actions; or
(ii) a power differential between the bully and the target; or
(e) substantially interfering with a student having a safe school environment that is necessary to facilitate educational performance, opportunities, or benefits.
(5)
(a) “Hazing” means a school employee or student intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly committing an act or causing another individual to commit an act toward a school employee or student that:
(i)
(A) endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a school employee or student;
(B) involves any brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics, bruising, electric shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or exposure to the elements;
(C) involves consumption of any food, alcoholic product, drug, or other substance or other physical activity that endangers the mental or physical health and safety of a school employee or student; or
(D) involves any activity that would subject a school employee or student to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, extended isolation from social contact, or conduct that subjects a school employee or student to extreme embarrassment, shame, or humiliation;
HB1007 – FACE COVERING REQUIREMENTS
(5) An LEA, an LEA governing board, the state board, the state superintendent, or a school may not require an individual to wear a face covering to attend or participate in
in-person instruction, LEA-sponsored athletics, or another LEA-sponsored extracurricular activity, or in any other place on the campus of a school or school facility after the end of the 2020-2021 school year.
