Let Them Breathe – Unmask The Children

As concerned members of our Diocesan community, we are respectfully requesting the Diocese of Lexington, Louisville, Owensboro, Covington, and all affiliates, to eliminate all face-covering requirements and mandatory Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) for the Fall 2021-2022 school year.  

Face-coverings pose significant psychological, physical, and spiritual health risks, particularly on God’s vulnerable children.  The Diocese would need to ensure children were trained to follow isolation precautions, in order for masks to be effective, and present minimal risks to the wearer.  This would require unobtainable and irrational investment levels and would impose further behavioral stressors onto the children. 

Non-Traditional Instruction is NOT a reasonable alternative to in-person learning. It is detrimental to our children’s educational and social development, and many teachers agree, it is neglectful and inhibits a nurturing learning environment. 

The measures against which the Diocese has utilized to determine COVID-19 policies, have not fostered the legal rights we have to freely live our faith without coercion from elected and non-elected officials.  This standard is rejected by parents, teachers, clergy, and health professionals within our community.   Additionally, as parents, donors, and volunteers, we are determined to protect our right to make individual healthcare and educational decisions for ourselves and our families.

We expect the Diocese to present the final plan for the 2021-2022 school year, in writing, and shared with every parent in the Diocese, via email or postal mail, no later than May 28, 2021, and it should include the following:

1. An OPTIONAL face covering policy

2. The removal of mandatory NTI

3. A written policy stating that these requests (1, 2) persist in lieu of future health crises

By cooperating with the aforementioned deadline, the Diocese agrees to extend the courtesy of providing our community with adequate time to plan for the Fall 2021-2022 school year.