Area teacher sparks controversy with Tuesday mask Tweet

By Mo Cranker on August 5, 2020.

A teacher with a local school division is speaking out after a Tweet of his regarding masks and the province’s back to school plan went viral on Tuesday.

Scott Raible, who teaches under the Prairie Rose School Division, says his Tweet was taken the wrong way by fellow Twitter users.

Raible’s Tweet read, “Just bought some non-medical masks as teachers are being forced to wear them now. They should arrive before school starts. Can’t wait to wear them in front of my students. This semester looking forward to teaching my students the novel 1984. Very timely. #abed #1984 #medhat.”

Attached to the Tweet was a photo, with four handmade masks on it. Each mask had a different message. They read, ‘So you think this mask works?’ ‘This mask does nothing.’ ‘Only wearing to make you feel better.’ ‘Pointless placebo.’

He says it was intended as a joke, but quickly got out of hand. “It was meant as tongue and cheek,” he said. “I would never actually wear a mask like that in front of my students and I do teach 1984 as part of the curriculum.

“I was surprised so many people took it the way they did, but that’s how social media is. People see everything in absolutes and really don’t welcome ideas that aren’t in line with their own.”

Raible says his Tweet stems from disappointment in the provincial government’s mask announcement.

“Like many Albertans I was watching Tuesday morning to see what the plan was,” he said. “After so many parents and teachers have spoken out, I guess I was disappointed that the only thing they decided to change was mandatory masks for Grades 4-12. It’s not that the masks are mandatory, it’s that it’s non-medical, cloth masks.

“I think N95 masks provide protection and would work much better.”

The teacher says he has a number of concerns.

“The psychological impact on impact on students as well as staff, but especially students,” he said. “I’ve seen so many students struggle through COVID-19 as I was teaching them remotely.

“I’m also worried about the sanitation aspect of this. Students have to wear a mask in a common area like a hallway. But in the classroom, they can take the mask off. Then they put it back on to walk through that same hallway.

“Through a six or seven-hour day, with one mask, it’s going to be very unsanitary.”

He added that the provincial government should find better ways to keep people safe.

“If we really cared, shouldn’t we be looking at ways to reduce class size?” he said. “I just think it shouldn’t be about the cheapest way possible with something like this.

“Of all the options to keep students and staff safe, we ignored the best options.”

Prairie Rose School Division sent a statement to the News.

“Prairie Rose School Division is aware of the comment posted on a staff member’s personal social media account. We will not be providing additional comments about the individual or their personal opinions.”

A second statement from the school board added more context and stated that it welcomes the Tuesday morning announcement regarding mask usage by students and school staff.

Raible says he has not lost his job and that he will be back to teaching in the fall.

“I plan on following the guidelines put out by the government,” he said. “Whatever they are, I will be following them.”

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