Ever since COVID, hit students in all Illinois schools have had to wear masks. 

According to Center Square writer Greg Bishop, more than 700 parents have sued more than 140 districts over the mandates. Attorney Thomas DeVore had secured temporary restraining orders in similar challenges, blocking masks as a method of quarantine without due process.”

Masks can affect how students, learn and if they have breathing problems, it can also affect that. Luz Pena of ABC News reports that ¨carbon dioxide mixes with fresh air and elevates the carbon dioxide content of inhaled air under the mask, and this was more pronounced in this study for younger children.”

 Junior Lylli Victoria has problems breathing when wearing her mask.

¨I feel really out of breath and uncomfortable when wearing a mask,” Victoria said. 

The problem is even worse for those who rely on lip reading. According to a Healthline report, people with hearing difficulties have trouble reading lips and recognizing facial expressions with masks in place.”

Junior Keelan Meltan has also noticed this.

“With masks on I have trouble reading people’s lips,” Melton said. 

When correctly wearing a mask, it has to cover both the mouth and nose, which can also make it hard for students to talk in class. 

¨It feels like I have a piece of tape over my mouth when I talk in class,¨ Melton said.

Further problems arise when trying to hear what another is saying.

¨I do have trouble hearing people with their masks on,¨ Victoria said.

Some students have noticed trouble with acne due to wearing masks. Senior Rachel Hutchinson has problems with breakouts because of her mask. 

¨I sometimes have problems with skin breakouts, and masks seem to make it a little worse around my chin and mouth,¨ Hutchinson said. 

Students with asthma could also be affected by wearing a mask.

¨I do have asthma, and I have a hard time breathing on a regular basis even without a mask,” Hutchison said. “On top of that, I´m not a very active person, so it´s especially hard for me to go up and down the stairs. My mask affected my breathing when COVID first started because I wasn’t used to wearing a mask. Now that I’ve worn masks for a while, I´ve become more used to wearing a mask and so it doesn’t affect my breathing as badly.”