The mother of a schoolboy who refused to take his face mask off for a class photo has said she is proud of him for wanting to protect the people around him.
Mason Peoples, 6, of Las Vegas, politely declined when a photographer asked if it would be okay for him to take his mask off for his school picture.
He had picked out his favourite shirt to wear for the occasion, which happened to match his mask, and had spent the morning practicing his best smile for the camera.
Mason later told his mum, Nicole Peoples, that he had told the photographer that he could not take his mask off because she had told him that he should only take it off at school to eat.
"I said 'No thank you, my mom told me I can't,'" Mason told CNN.
When the photographer asked him if he was sure he didn’t want to take the mask off for just a couple of seconds, he replied: “No thank you, I always listen to my mom!”
Nicole was even more impressed as her son had just lost four teeth within the last few weeks, so he was “so proud” of his smile.
She said that the pair had spoken at the beginning of school about the importance of safety, and how easily germs can spread without a face covering.
Masks are required at Mason’s elementary school in Las Vegas and Nicole said he was a rule follower who makes his bed and cleans his own room.
"He's very proud (and) he loves to show me how he's followed the rules so that's why he was so excited to come home and tell me about that picture story," Peoples said.
Nicole said her son understood the importance of wearing masks because her grandfather had died of Covid in January.
"He was a very significant part of our life our daily life, so Mason was impacted, they've seen it firsthand," Peoples said.
"So that experience really makes Mason want to wear his mask and know that it's protecting not only him but other people, his elders and other people around him.
The proud mum shared her son’s story on Facebook and set up a GoFundMe page with a $7 goal after receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from well-wishers.
She jokingly wrote on the page: “I’m so proud of him for sticking to his word but I should have been more clear about my rules on this day.”
She described Mason as a “good kind hearted, caring, loving, smart, and helpful little boy” and said the money raised will go towards Mason’s college scholarship fund.
So far, the fundraising page has received $25,693 (£18,960) in donations.
