New mask rules boggle students

You leave your house, go to the store, or maybe you get a workout in at the gym. Regardless of the task, you realize that you’re not required to wear a mask to accomplish any of them. Now consider this fact when analyzing the specifics of SSU’s new mask mandate that requires everyone to wear a mask in classrooms, but nowhere else. How does that make sense to thousands of students who walk around daily without wearing a mask? 

Sonoma State tends to follow the lead of other schools, but well after the appropriate time period. This updated mask mandate is just one of many instances. On March 11, the state of California lifted the indoor mask mandate. K-12 schools followed right behind and lifted their mandates on March 12. Sonoma State, however, waited until March 21 to ease, not lift, their current mask mandate. Why keep masks required in the classrooms, but not in the gym or larger shared study spaces? What good is wearing a mask in a class with under 20 people when the hallways after a lecture gets out are filled to the brim with students? The rules are inconsistent and vague, leaving a lot of room for confusion. 

“I personally don’t see a difference between wearing no mask in an instructional setting versus going to the campus rec or the kitchens,” said an anonymous Sonoma State student, “I think it would make more sense to drop the indoor class mask mandate completely and I would feel safe regardless.” 

While it is impossible to please everyone, or even accommodate everyone, it is possible to listen to the majority and allow them to make their own choices. At the end of the day, the student population is made up of adults that pay thousands of dollars to attend this school. They are capable of making their own decision to wear a mask or not, especially two years into the pandemic. 

In most places, not just in California, masks aren’t required indoors, and that is without knowing the population's vaccine rate. Most universities in California have dropped their indoor mask policy, allowing their students to choose to wear a mask or not. If Sonoma State wasn't comfortable allowing students to  choose whether or not to wear their masks in the classrooms, why not leave it up to the professors?

Whether it is a small lab class, or a large lecture, the professors could choose based on the class if they want to continue requiring masks or not.

Dominic DiGrande, a Communications student, said, “It would be nice for the professors to choose if we can wear masks or not. All students in classes have the vaccine and the booster against covid which is very helpful in stopping the spread of COVID-19. I also think that the school should continue to follow county guidelines regarding masks.” At this point in the pandemic, most people are moving back to normalcy while shifting to a mostly mask-less society. At the same time, how is that possible if there continues to be absurd rules like this one. 

While there are always going to be some people that are unhappy with whatever choices that are made, it would be beneficial to update the mask mandate to give people more of their own choice on wearing a mask or not. If the professors can't be the ones to choose based on their classes, then the students should have that choice. There will still be people at the library that will choose to wear their mask, and that's great for them, but to have such an odd requirement of masks being worn just in the classrooms is honestly useless at this point. 

Anisya Lustig-Ellison, a third year Political Science major, said, “I think it’s odd to require masks in classrooms but not any other indoor setting.” Anisya continues, “In other indoor settings there is just as much talking, breathing, and close contact. I would like it if the school took away the mandate in ALL indoor settings or required masks in ALL indoor settings.”

In order to advance, Sonoma State needs to listen to their students and hear their concerns. The students are confused with the new “ease” of restrictions, and they're tired of wearing masks. The school should come up with a better alternative, like allowing the professors to choose the mask policy per class or allowing the adult student population to choose for themselves.