I never should have done it, but I did — I read the comments. I was horrified when I scrolled through the Facebook comments under a picture of Gov. Spencer Cox and students of SLCSE Bryant Middle School. Rather than posts about the content of the visit, posts asking what students learned from their governor, or even posts asking the score of the kickball game Gov. Cox played with students, commenters lambasted Cox for wearing a mask in the photos.
Though the photos were taken outdoors, all students, staff, and Gov. Cox were wearing masks. Why?
Perhaps because not all middle school students were vaccine eligible, and thus everyone wore masks out of concern for the health of our children. Perhaps there was another reason. But no matter the reason, the lack of civility displayed by commenters and the downright rude comments directed at a public official was unpatriotic (and no, I didn’t even vote for Cox.) I would say the behavior of commenters was childish, but in the era of COVID that is no longer a pejorative phrase. Our children are leading by example, masking without complaint, and finishing the school year with a visit from a local leader who leads by example too.
Hilary Lambert, Millcreek
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