The George Washington University policy regarding Covid begins with three commitments for care on campus: “care for myself,” “care for others,” and “care for our community.” This includes wearing a mask as a key part of caring for others. Wearing a mask is characterized as being a considerate member of a community. Okay, my school cares about building a community. That’s nice. Then why did I receive dirty looks and inhospitable comments when I remained compliant with school policy by forgoing my mask during our brief alleviation from the campus mask mandate that started last week and, absurdly, ended eight days later?
Beyond this clear façade of empathy that acts to empower the virtue-signaling of many of my peers, the university policy answers my rhetorically intended question. In the subsequent section on “noncompliance” — a phrase that has eerie associations with dystopian clichés — the university sows divisiveness by deputizing students to turn on one another. “An individual engaging in noncompliance with the policy should anticipate having their behavior addressed by another member of the GW community,” the policy states, indicating channels to which transgressions can be reported.
Comments