As COVID-19 cases rise and the school year nears, the debate about masking children has escalated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and prominent doctors groups have called for children to wear masks in schools, but these recommendations from health authorities lack adequate evidence. Instead, “the science” surrounding children and COVID-19 suggests that local school districts — or better, parents — should decide on a case by case basis when masking offers children a benefit or, just as important, when the risks of masking instead outweigh the potential benefit.

What does “the science say”?