Opinion: Parents should make the choice about masks in schools, not the governor

Americans crave clear data when difficult problems arise, and any uncertainties are magnified in the face of life or death.

The hard sciences (biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics) used to be apolitical subjects based on research, data and quantifiable results. Sadly, politics has crept into these fields, too, and our country is now hopelessly divided at a time we need answers most.

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world, health experts too often gave conflicting messages and politicians and government officials seized the crisis for their own political gain.

As we face another wave of COVID, it is clear the American people are again divided on the role that the government should play in our lives. For some, the recent spike of the virus allows the government wide berth to set rules and restrictions on our mobility, what we wear, and bodily autonomy. The common good must supersede individual rights.

For others, lockdowns, quarantines, masks and social distancing have produced a visceral distrust with government authorities who have often been less than transparent with the facts. When the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases routinely vacillates with his directives, it doesn't invoke a steadfast confidence.

Gov. Pritzker's latest school mask mandate, a one-size-fits-all directive across widely disparate school districts, is troubling and legally suspect. If citizens desired a dictatorship-style government, the Illinois Constitution would not have empowered a legislative branch. Providing the necessary research, insights and recommendations, and allowing parents and local officials the right to choose the best option for their school districts is a better approach.

Based on current data, Glenbrook residents are nearly 90% vaccinated, which proves that an educated populace can make the right decisions when presented with salient facts.

Unlike vaccines, however, the data on mask effectiveness is less than certain. A recent University of Louisville study has shown that the spread of COVID in various states was essentially the same whether states mandated masks or not.

Mask quality and use also plays a significant role in transmission, yet there currently is no required mask design. Other studies have shown that wearing masks inhibits social and emotional learning and distorts speech and language processing abilities.

Governing by force, coercion and fear is always easier than negotiation and compromise, but it should never be an acceptable strategy in a free country. Our Constitution remains intact, even in the midst of a global pandemic. Sacrificing liberty for temporary or perceived safety is a trade-off encumbered with dangerous consequences.

Wearing masks undoubtedly provides some level of protection, but its nebulous cost/benefit ratio does not warrant a statewide mandate. Educate, inform, motivate, and the American people will deliver. COVID will likely be a part of our lives for the foreseeable future, and we are going to have to learn to live with it. More importantly, we are going to have to learn to live with each other despite our lack of consensus on every issue.

• Glenn Farkas is a financial adviser and the owner of Avista Wealth Management. He has lived in Glenview with his family for almost 20 years and is committed to improving the community through active civic engagement.