Should we still be recommending masks in schools?

Singapore’s prime minister makes a good point.

Today, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that masks would no longer be required in the country’s schools — or anywhere else except public transport and health care settings. When making the announcement, he noted that masks interfere with learning and development:

He acknowledged that parents may be worried, but assured them that the Government has assessed that relaxing mask requirements in schools would be safe.

“Children do need to be able to see the facial expressions of their teachers and of each other,” said PM Lee.

“You have to learn to read faces: Is he angry, is he happy, did he say her or the, otherwise you grow up with a blank space in your brain,” he said. “It’s crucial for learning and development.”

This raises the question: is it a problem for U.S. school districts to continue recommending masks even if mandates have been eliminated? While some districts continue to mandate school masking, others, such as Los Angeles Unified, tell students and staff that masks are simply “strongly recommended.” But is a strong recommendation still too much?