March 16, 2020, marked an extremely pivotal moment for many at Tesoro. The schools in the Capistrano Unified School District announced a three-week closure due to the Covid-19 virus. Of course now, we are all well-aware with how much longer it went after that initial three weeks.
In the early stages of the pandemic, the introduction of the hybrid program allowed students to participate in both online and in-person learning environments. All students attending in-person school, however, were required to wear a mask to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
While opinions vary on the subject of mask mandates, one district-wide movement powered by students is remaining very vocal. It’s known collectively as the "Student Mask Choice Group." This group of students expressed a strong contempt for the CUSD Mask Mandate.
Despite all the unpredictability of the Covid-19 virus, the number of new cases of Covid in the State of California is declining. With this decrease in numbers, on February 28, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom shared a prepared statement on the subject:
"California continues to adjust our policies based on the latest data and science, applying what we’ve learned over the past two years to guide our response to the pandemic. Masks are an effective tool to minimize the spread of the virus and future variants, especially when transmission rates are high. We cannot predict the future of the virus, but we are better prepared for it and will continue to take measures rooted in science to keep California moving forward."
With this decline and careful analysis of the data, Gavin Newsom repealed the mask mandate on March 1, 2022, for indoor settings regardless of vaccination status and repealed the mask mandate for schools on March 12, 2022. Although repealed, Newsom recommends Californians still wear masks indoors.
So, on Monday, March 14, 2022, students could make a decision for themselves and attend school with or without a mask, free of judgment from Tesoro students and staff.
Wishing you good health from the Titan Tribune!