Bottom halves of faces are starting to make their entrances as masks become optional on the Lakeside campus. While some opt to keep them on and others gladly take them off, we often forget the true victims of this new policy: the anti-maskers.

We had all seen the news stories and read the articles: someone causing a ruckus whenever an innocent bystander asked them to mask up. However, we fail to see the passion, the dedication in their eyes as they scream about their God-given rights. This hallowed tradition gives them meaning—what are they to do without it?
Karen S. Jr. ’22 emotionally shared the mental struggles that have come with this new rule. “When masks were still mandatory, I discovered a new joy that could only be attained by bullying people about a piece of cloth on their face. But now that masks are optional, what am I supposed to do—live my life? Yeah, right.”
New freshman Sarah K. ’25 has been scarred by this new development in the ongoing pandemic. “I had thought Lakeside would be this welcoming community; that’s what they had advertised. But I come to the school and see this–no support for the anti-masker community? I’m disappointed.”
Lucky for these struggling individuals, the wellness department is releasing a new unit to ease their troubled souls: “Life Beyond the Mask” is to be introduced in the 2022-2023 school year.
The wellness department gives us some insight into how the class will go for the incoming students. “Of course, masks will be required at all times as soon as students step into the classroom, and protesting is encouraged. We hope this can replicate the environment they used to have before it all went wrong.” The department has also started planning specific lessons, including “COVID-19? More Like ‘Party Like It’s 2019!’”, “Moving On,” and “Have You Considered Being an Anti-Vaxxer?”
“We just hope this course can be a place of refuge and safety for these recovering students,” shares the department. “We want to support one of our most overlooked communities in any way we can.”
The department ended with a hint at a sequel to the lesson plan: “You are MORE than Social Distancing.”