Colorado Teachers Allegedly Taping Masks to Middle School Students' Faces to Stop Them From Pulling It Down; Investigation Underway
Colorado teachers are accused of taping face masks to middle school students' facesafter a sixth-grader sent a selfie to her mother with a mask taped to her face using a blue painter's tape.
The young girl's mother, Stephanie Butler, said that she posted the photo on Friday to make other parents aware of the strict mask policy, as well as to see if other students were "being taped," according to a Daily Mail report.
Butler noted that it was a type of restraint for her. She added that her daughter explained that her teacher gave her one warning to keep the mask over her nose or she would have to tape it.
Butler's daughter explained to her that the rule went into effect weeks ago and teachers have been imposing it.
Her daughter wrote in a text message that it's a new thing, adding that if they can't keep their mask on their noses, they get taped.
A Monument, Colorado representative, Darcy Schoening, saw the photo circulating on Facebook.
Schoening posted on Facebook her views regarding the matter, saying that "may these teachers seek the mental health treatment" that they needed. She ended her post, saying "child abuse."
Schoening is a Monument City councilwoman. She noted that she looks out for students by pressuring the district to open up discussions about the mask mandate.
However, she noted that those school districts did not.
Investigation on Colorado Teachers Taping Up Masks on Students' Faces
A Colorado Springs school district has launched an internal investigation in response to claims that staff members were taping masks to students' face at one of its schools.
Part of Academy District 20, Chinook Trail Middle School, had received a complaint from the parent of a student on late Friday afternoon, according to The Gazette report.
District spokeswoman Allison Cortez said that the parent told a staff member that the student reported teachers were securing masks to students' faces with tape.
Cortez said that they decided they need to investigate the said allegations.
District officials are eyeing to interview more than 100 students and staff members to determine the credibility of the allegation. She added that they will complete them as quickly as possible.
Colorado Schools Mask Mandate
Colorado's schoolchildren were seeing the highest rates of COVID infection among any age group in the state. Health officials noted in September based on their data that requiring kids to wear masks while in school can be linked to lower COVID infection rates.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment had recommended that all schools implement mask mandates for students, staff, and visitors despite their vaccination status, according to a Colorado Sun report.
Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist, said that lower cases are associated with districts that are requiring masks in schools again.
Meanwhile, children who are generally not yet in school, those up to age five, have the lowest infection rates in the state.
READ MORE: More Than 5,000 Students in a Single Florida School District Quarantined or Isolated Due to COVID
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Mary Webber
WATCH: Substitute teacher removed from class after allegedly taping masks to the faces of students - from FOX 5 Las Vegas
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