Education officials tiptoed back with their hands in the air from one school’s radioactive instructions that female students only wear face masks in “polite colors.”
Amnat Witchayanuwat, secretary of the Office of the Basic Education Commission, said his office had no role and has issued no rules dictating which kinds of masks students should wear at school after a school issued cringey, gender-based guidelines.
Outrage ensued after a photo was shared on social media of a school notice board showing examples of “appropriate” face masks: Those without patterns and in “polite” colors.
It said female students must wear “pale colors” such as pink or white; while male students can wear white, black and grey.
The school was not identified in the Facebook post by Polawat Kittiwat, which was quickly shared more than 1,100 times before being removed.
The guidelines are unlikely to be tested any time soon – Thai schools aren’t expected to reopen until July.
Polowat had criticized the school for having the wrong priorities during the outbreak.
“I don’t understand. Why do you have to impose these things on the face masks? Any kind of face masks can prevent COVID-19 the same,” Polawat wrote.
Making it more difficult in any way was counterproductive, Polawat wrote.
“If the school insists on making these requirements, they should give away masks to students. This is pushing the burden to students’ parents,” Polowat continued. “The school should focus on the students’ academic performance, no?”
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