A month ago, I printed out back-to-school lists from our district's website. One was the dress code that specified everything from shirts to shoes to belt loops on pants. If loops are present, they require a belt. I made a mental note: Do not get pants with loops. I did not want to even think about a belt for my kindergartner. Another list was for supplies. Pencils (No. 2 only, please) glue sticks (not liquid) and so on. Another list was a wish list of items the teacher needed for her classroom. Tissues, paper plates and gallon baggies.

None of these lists offered wiggle room for parents' choice. I also received a school handbook for code of conduct and other expectations for attending school. It all boiled down to this: If you want your child to go to school here, then you need to have these items, behave appropriately and dress for school as required.

Judging by the back-to-school section at Target, no one was thrown off by these lists and handbooks. I saw no protests over being told what to buy for our children's education. The No. 2 pencil bins were empty, but glitter pens were plenty. I saw no news reports of disputing wide-ruled versus college-ruled notebooks. There was a time and place for each, and we all seem to agree. In fact, many parents appreciated these lists and guidance. I know I want to make sure my child is ready to learn in a way that's best for the class. I want to make sure that my child's teacher has what she needs for her class and that a safe and fun learning environment is supported by all. Mrs. B will get all the tissues her classroom needs. I'm on it!

Why, then, if we can all fall in line and understand that when teaching a class of 25-plus kids, some uniformity and consistency will help make the learning environment better, are people declaring "parent choice" when it comes to masks?

Let's say I send my son into kindergarten and require him to wear a mask, but little Sally who sits next to him has a parent who doesn't require her to wear a mask. Then there's Johnny who has instructions from his parents who own a restaurant and want to keep their expectations consistent by saying that he has to wear a mask in the hallways and when he's up from his desk but when he's seated, it's OK to take it off. Who is expected to police all of those separate parental choices? My suspicion is that those who don't want their child to wear a mask know that the choice cannot be policed and it will be left up to the child to follow their parents' instructions.

A mask is a modern school supply, like hand sanitizer and a water bottle. I don't know about you, but I had to raise my hand and ask to get a drink from the hallway fountain if I wanted a drink of water during class. Things evolve; protocols change. Hopefully, masks won't be forever, more people will get vaccinated and we can move forward safely unmasked. Until then, I'll make sure my son has a full water bottle and clean mask each morning for school.

Check out Bonnie's weekly YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/bonniejeanfeldkamp. To find out more about Bonnie Jean Feldkamp and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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