Letter to the editor: There's no 'choice' when others are threatened

“Covid is not fatal to children.” Let the shamefulness of that statement, which appeared in the letter “Penn Hills mask ruling decried” sink in for a moment. To back this claim up, the writer noted that deaths among children aged 0-18 were 423 as of late August (it’s now 470, according to the latest CDC data). Obviously, the argument immediately collapses — if covid can cause death in children, then it is by definition potentially fatal.

The writer neglected to mention the toll covid can take on children, even when it is not fatal. Thousands of kids have been hospitalized, and schools are closing.

The notion that mask requirements in schools take away parental choice is nonsensical. Of course it takes away parental choice — you don’t have the choice to send your child to school with a gun or a knife, either. You generally have to provide vaccination records. Most schools have dress codes. Taking away personal “choice” when that choice potentially threatens to harm others is just what living in a society is.

And to anyone who would say that covid isn’t fatal to children — tell that to the parents of kids who’ve died. I dare you.

Conor Demers

Penn Hills