Stop asking people to do stuff for you and calling it ‘freedom.’

Masks are gone in my school district for both students and staff. If you read my article My Refusal to Continue Wearing a Mask, you know that I was so fed up with mask-wearing that I was thinking of quitting the profession I love. Admittedly, my issues with masks are, perhaps, greater than the average person’s since I have claustrophobia and anxiety issues. But if you read my other article Masks are dehumanizing whether you believe it or not, you would understand why I was also tired of the degradation of being forced to cover my most unique identifying feature.

In short, things are much better at work now. But not everybody is happy about it. I remember a parent at a school board meeting for my district demanding that masks be reinstated. Paraphrase: “You all talk about ‘freedom,’ but what about our children’s freedom to feel safe at school and be safe from illness?” Never mind the ridiculous concept of being free to feel a certain way or be free from illnesses. Who exactly is supposed to ensure your feelings or your freedom from disease? It really just seemed like this parent was asking for something he personally wanted and calling it his “freedom.”

Well, what about my “freedom” to buy a Prada handbag? I’m tired of my dumb old Kate Spade bag bought from an outlet, and other people have the money to ensure their “freedom” to buy Prada; why can’t they send some my way and ensure my freedom too?

Okay, the above was a hyperbolic example. But consider “freedoms” many people demand today: freedom from hurtful words, freedom to quit jobs they hate, freedom from consequences of their own poor choices?

Freedom from hurtful words requires other people to shut up; freedom to quit a job you hate without preparation requires other people to financially support you. Freedom from poverty when you didn’t graduate high school and/or had a child out of wedlock (the two greatest poverty predictors) again, require other people to financially support you. As someone who works in education, I can tell you that graduating high school is not difficult, there are all manner of alternative routes for students who aren’t academic stars, and, well…we all know how babies are made and how to prevent it. You can also choose adoption for an unexpected child. The other option there is not something I approve of, but, well…it isn’t illegal. Graduate, get a full-time job, and wait until you are 21 to get married/have kids, and you have a 98% chance of avoiding poverty.

It’s okay to have different ideas about what “freedom” means. I’m sure the dictionary has more than one definition. But can we at least agree that asking people to do things for you and calling it freedom is not valid?