It is beginning to look a lot like 2020. It has not been two weeks since the University of Minnesota's campuses reinstated mask requirements for staff and students, and North Dakota is beginning to follow suit. You can probably guess which city's schools were the first to reintroduce masking - surprisingly, it was not a university.

The Fargo Public School Board reinstated a mask mandate for the 2021-2022 school year.

According to Valley News Live, the Fargo Public School Board voted to reinstate mask requirements for staff and students for the 2021-2022 school year. While opinions about masking in Fargo Public Schools were split, the report states that those in favor of masking are concerned because more kids are being affected now than with the first strain of COVID-19. Now that Fargo is doing it, how long will it be until other North Dakota schools fall in line? And what is the next step?

As we creep towards two years of the pandemic life, it seems like things are going backward.

What are we even doing here? Two weeks is now going on two years in this "fight" against coronavirus. We have masks, which people have no idea how to properly use or dispose of - havoc is being reeked on the environment. We have vaccines, but coronavirus has evolved. And now we are starting to revert back to doing something that did not work in 2020.

The impact of shutting down life as we know it has been detrimental to many.

People were forced out of their jobs, stayed home, and they now fear losing everything. Domestic violence is up because people were forced to be locked in with their abusers. Food insecurity in adults and children increased by about 10 million from 2019 to 2020. Not only that, kids are struggling more than ever with school and mental health issues.

Will there be a domino effect throughout North Dakota?

The state and local governments cannot mandate masks because that is now the law. But there is no law that stops schools and businesses from putting pandemic rules in place. I called Bismarck Public Schools to find out if they were considering a mandate, but was unable to get a hold of anyone. Time will tell.

How do you feel about mask mandates making a comeback?

READ MORE: 50 resources to help you educate your kids at home

 

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