Letter to the editor

I am so hurt and appalled by the mean, hateful words hurled at our school board members over their decision to require masks in our schools while this virus ravages our county. These board members are good people, trying to do the right thing, and their crime? They want to protect our children and keep our schools safely functioning so that our students can continue learning. 

Wow! Thank you! Nasty, mean, personal attacks are so uncalled for! Over a mask? My grandchildren – ages 5 and 8 – live in Charlotte and they’ve been wearing a mask for 18 months! And guess what? They’ve adapted to it better than the adults. They love their school, their teachers and their friends. They know they have to wear a mask. No discussion.

Me personally? I hate masks! They’re hot, they make my makeup run; I stumble through Food Lion half – seeing because my glasses are all fogged up. But I wear one.

Angry people are yelling about their freedom being denied. Well…I want my freedom too; the freedom to safely attend concerts, programs, parties and church without having to worry about getting sick. We’ve got to get the scourge of this virus under control. And in this surge, pediatric hospitals across the state and in the entire country are full of sick children. We berate our school board members – and other county officials – for trying to keep us safe and healthy? Really?

I realize that my support of wearing a mask is not very scientific. I really don’t know a lot of science. I listen. I read. But I do know a lot about love; loving my neighbors and loving children.

So…as my grandma used to threaten, “Be nice.” Respect our officials. Love one another. Wear a mask; the least we can do to regain our freedom, protect our children and show we care.  

Beth McCallister

Tryon