Opposition to Masks and Other Medical Mandates in Schools
by Kathleen Lynch
Kathy Lynch delivered oral and written testimony to the Town of Westford via Zoom at both the Board of Health Meeting on August 9th and the School Committee on August 16th.
I am the Westford Republican Town Committee Chairwoman. I am also the Republican State Committeewoman for the First Middlesex District representing the city of Lowell and five towns including Westford. I recently served two years on the Healthy Westford Committee.
In speaking with colleagues and constituents, I am hearing very strong objections to mask and vaccine mandates.
Regarding masks, I find it heartbreaking to see precious children with faces hidden, unable to breathe freely and unable to see facial expressions that are vital for communication and child development. The mask is a cover that incubates germs, fear and suspicion of others. Immune suppression, bacterial and fungal infections2 are just a few more unhealthy side effects of wearing masks.
Regarding vaccines, they are risky. As of July 30th the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)1, a national early warning system co-managed by the CDC and FDA, reports that there have been over 12,000 deaths, 46,000 hospitalizations, 92,000 office visits, 23,000 reports of severe allergic reactions, and 14,000 permanently disabled after succumbing to taking the covid shots. What makes this number more alarming is that VAERS admits that the numbers reported are just a small fraction of the actual numbers!
Health rights is a non-partisan, human rights issue. It is imperative that individuals be fully informed about the risks and benefits of any medical intervention to include PCR/pool testing, temperature checks, vaccines, quarantines, and masks. Parents or guardians should then choose whether or not their child will participate in the intervention. Without Informed consent and the ability to opt out of any health intervention, a dangerous nanny-state, health tyranny would ensue. We must not have that in Westford or any town in America.
As State Committeewoman, on June 9th, I submitted to all representatives of the Massachusetts Republican Party thousands of petitions from Massachusetts residents against mask mandates and a resolution to change the Massachusetts mask mandate that Governor Baker declared in 2020 to a voluntary mask advisory. The resolution passed unanimously. Fortunately, the governor lifted the mask mandate this summer. He is now only making a recommendation about wearing masks, if individuals so choose.
Senate Bill 1122, An Act relative to bodily autonomy and family integrity, addresses health freedom by stating, “No person shall be compelled by law to acquiesce to medical treatments or procedures, collection of specimens, or sharing of personal data or medical information. A person’s fundamental rights to privacy, travel, and speech afforded under the United States Constitution shall not be infringed upon to impede the making of decisions for themselves or for their dependents, including, but not limited to, health and medical care”. I call on all legislators including our district Senator Kennedy and State Rep Arciero to back this bill.
No law or policy should interfere with the free will of Massachusetts citizens to make their own health decisions, period. Please see the August 13th article showing Taunton MA Public Schools successfully taking a stand against mask mandates. 3 Let Westford be next!
I call for The Westford School Committee, Board of Health, Health Department, and legislators to reject any mask, vaccine, or other medical mandate or simply set voluntary advisories. Advisories should apply to children, staff, and members of the public in our schools and businesses in any indoor or outdoor setting. Declared health emergency orders should never bypass our constitution and right to choose a health intervention that itself contains risks. And, no one should be coerced, harassed, or sanctioned because of their health decision!
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1 https://www.openvaers.com/covid-data
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If you haven’t heard by now, the governor and his administration have decided that children should be wearing masks all day in school. I disagree. My testimony given on August 16th is here.
On August 24th, the state’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted 9-1 in favor of a school mask mandate until Oct. 1st, and if 80 percent of students and staff in the building are vaccinated by then, they will require masks only for the unvaccinated students. This would be discriminatory and viewed as punishment for students who cannot or choose not to be vaccinated!
It is imperative that Massachusetts freedom-loving citizens take back control by running for local and statewide office. If you do not like the decisions being made by your elected officials, then run for office and make better decisions.
I can connect conservatives with training on how to run for office or be more effective as activists. You don’t have to commit to running for office – just explore the topic and possibilities. We need people to defend our republic! Please email me right away, if interested in learning more.
