Parents speak out against mask mandate at ACOVSD board meeting

By Ashley McCarty

People’s Defender

The Adams County Ohio Valley Board of Education was met with strong public opinions at their Sept. 20 meeting regarding a proposed mask mandate.

Before the floor was open to the public, Peebles Elementary School Principal Amanda McFarland presented on the National Network of Partnership Schools.

“NNPS is an organization set up by John Hopkins University. We are partnering with John Hopkins University and Ohio State University to institute NNPS. NNPS, established in 1996, provides schools with ideas, support, and suggestions for strengthening the connections between schools, families and the communities of which they are apart,” said McFarland.

West Union Elementary Principal Ben King awarded Eugene Fecke with Oustanding Student for Adams County.

“There were multiple nominations submitted for Eugene, and they were focused on his achievements in academics, his growth in this area as well as mastering the skills of daily living,” said King.

The board had several requests from the public to speak on the mask policy; all speakers had a child enrolled in the district.

“I hear we’re supposed to be doing this mask mandate again. I have presented PHS with information on the mask mandates and the harmful effects it has on children. I’ve done 72 hours of OSHA certification, which states that every time you wear a mask, you’re killing yourself. I can’t speak for any other parent, but we’re not going to comply. Nobody has provided me with the evidence; I have evidence, paperwork, everything you need. This is considered child abuse. You’ve got kids riding the bus with masks on, only to get off of the bus and be in a group of kids with no mask on. I believe I spoke with [Superintendent Rich] Seas, and I thought we had a pretty good conversation. Apparently not. This is an official notice. Anyone that mandates my child to wear a mask will take full responsibility. I don’t know when you became my kids’ parents, but you’re not. So, under law, legally, they will not comply,” said visitor Victor Smith.

Rebecca Crawford said that even though she loves the district, she does not want her child wearing a mask all day.

“He does not want to wear a mask all day. I feel like it’s bullying my child to make him wear a mask. It seems like child abuse to make them wear this mask and breathe in this snot and hot air. I just don’t approve of it,” said Crawford.

Christina Amiott said that her son is bothered by the mask because of his ear issues.

“It causes him anxiety; he does wear the sleeves, which helps a little. He wears it for an hour to go to occupational therapy a week, and it is a very stressful time for him. They can’t accomplish the things we’d like to accomplish. So, if we’re worried about it for one hour, I worry about how his education is going to go with him wearing it all day. I understand we want to keep the kids safe, but also worry about the fact that wearing a mask for another year straight, how does that affect his immune system against other communicable diseases,” said Amiott.

Feleshia Ramsey said her fourth-grader was quarantined for not wearing a mask.

“I have no issue with you guys wanting to quarantine our children for being exposed to children who have COVID-19. But, why is it that they’re only being required to wear these masks on the bus? My other two children were then allowed to be exposed to my son who was also exposed to COVID-19, but now is also on the bus with other children. Today, I was also informed that my children’s bus seating was switched up and they were mixed in with other children. I don’t get that at all. COVID-19 is not only transferable on the bus. That is completely pointless. If you want to mask kids, mask them all the time. But, I’m not sending my child to school to wear a mask. Kids are not dying from COVID-19. [My] 3-year-old baby got a fever, he slept. My husband, I could have sworn he needed to be hospitalized. It’s not affecting our children like they’re making it out to be,” said Ramsey.

Sarah Bales has a 13-year-old enrolled at North Adams and a 12-year-old enrolled at West Union.

“I do not agree with a mask mandate. It causes, as somebody else said, severe anxiety for the kids, it’s dirty, it causes more disease I think than just being out. They’re constantly dropped. I don’t know how many times I’ve been to a ballgame and saw a mask on the floor, and then the kids pick it back up and put it back on because they have to. How many times does that happen throughout the day? Those are the germs that I’m worried about my kids getting, not necessarily the cold, or COVID-19. Kids get sick, it just happens. They’re supposed to, and we did, and we survived. I think that [wearing a mask] should be a choice. It shouldn’t be something that is constantly taking away from their education, which is already lacking in Adams County. We need to focus on education and not being their doctor. I want what is best for the kids, and that’s not masks. I think it’s building up immune systems. The quarantine thing needs to be worked on. If teachers can have their kids sick at home, and they still get to go teach every day, and they check them for symptoms every morning, why can’t we do that to our kids that have possibly been exposed?” said Bales.

Derek Kirker is a father of two, a husband and a veteran.

“I won’t stand here today and tell you this is unconstitutional. I believe it’s been said many times before. I will tell you that researcher and scientist John Zhu from Stanford University is trying to develop a new mask that brings fresh air into the mask. Why? He found out that it takes 5 to 20 percent of oxygen out of the mask. What does this cause? Hypercapnia — this is an elevated amount of carbon monoxide, which can result in headaches, dizziness, seizures and in extreme cases, COPD and an enlarged heart. Although this may seem like a low percentage, without previous medical conditions, I am here to say that this could and will result in physical and mental harm to our children. If you choose to send your child to school with a mask, that is your choice. Where is our choice? If you pass this motion, remember, you are in an elected position and you are the largest tax-based business in Adams County. Take that into consideration,” said Kirker.

Jenna Michael has two children enrolled at NAES.

“I feel like God chose me to be their parents for a reason. I can choose whether to send them to school with a mask or not. I feel like masks are harmful to the kids. They’re dropping them in the bathrooms and putting them on their face. They have a snotty nose, and it’s coming out on the masks. That’s beyond disgusting. I think we need to work on their immune systems. I think the whole process of quarantining healthy children is a waste when we need to keep them in schools. There are lots of things wrong. Everyone is listening to the television; we need to do what is right within our hearts. We don’t need to be putting masks on kids. My husband and I had COVID-19 in December, and my kids never showed symptoms. We’re not trusting parents to be parents. I hope you understand where we’re coming from. We just want what is best for our kids,” said Michael.

Tabitha Mahon said that the board was not the parents of their children.

“We have them, we pay for them, we provide for them. If they’re sick, they will be home, if not, they’ll go to school. I do not believe in masks. I do not wear one, my kids will not comply. Show me medical proof; show me hard facts. I believe COVID-19 is real, but my kids are not going to be scared into doing what everybody else says is okay. The quarantines don’t work. My son got quarantined for being in a classroom with somebody else — they didn’t call me the day he was exposed. The next morning, he gets on the bus and goes to school. They called me at 1 p.m. and told me to come to get him because he was exposed to COVID-19 yesterday. If you’re not paying for my kid, don’t tell me what to do with them,” said Mahon.

Taylor Semple said when her son was in preschool he was sick a lot.

“When I spoke to his pediatrician about it, he told me that it’s sick now or sick later. They need exposure. We’re not giving them that. You can look at the research yourself, the rise of other respiratory illnesses is very high this year. I believe it is because we are keeping them from their friends, putting masks on them and we’re not letting them be kids. When we finally come to a point where we don’t mask them, they are all going to be very sick and we’ll be doing this for a different reason. How many kids that have to quarantine for two weeks actually end up sick? How many tested positive? The perfectly healthy have to stay home. I don’t agree with that. If you want them to wear a mask for two weeks just to be safe, I can back that up. I can’t support making the perfectly healthy stay home and miss out. I will not put a mask on [my son],” said Semple.

Superintendent Rich Seas took to the podium to address the attendees on the mask policy.

“I stand before you a little bit paralyzed. I don’t know what to do. I need kids at school. Safety has been important to me; keep in mind, I have 11 children. I could tell you what I feel personally, but that doesn’t matter. What I need to tell you today is that the rules we have to live by are very frustrating. I’m not sure whether to go right or left. This board has met several times, we’ve had Health Commissioner Dr. William Hablitzel at the meeting, we’ve had David Kelley, legal counsel. None of us really want to require or mandate a mask. But, for me, as a superintendent, it’s very important that I get our students to school. What I would challenge all of you on is to look at the rules of engagement and the rules we have to live by. For instance, if you look at the rules the health department quarantines children by, they’re looking at that six feet,” said Seas.

I’m not asking you to agree, he said.

“As I said, we could step outside and have this conversation about agreement, disagreement, false science, real science — I get all that. This board has been through all of that. Please understand, I’ve been put in an extremely awkward position. I don’t feel comfortable making what appears to be a health decision. I know you love kids. I love kids. If it means anything, we’ve had 220 positive cases in the last seven days. We did a survey, and in the survey, it was asked, would you support a mask requirement if it eliminated the need to be quarantined?” said Seas.

According to the survey results, 2/3 of staff said yes, while 1/3 of staff said no; 62.2 percent of students said no, while 38 percent said yes; 51.1 percent of parents said no, while 48.9 percent said yes. The total number of parents who participated in the survey was 673.

“This is where I got a little less paralyzed; these numbers are fresh from our healthcare nurses. Since the beginning of school, [193 students have been positive]. Now, this is when I about fell out of my chair, because I agree with what you’re saying about healthy kids being quarantined. Guys, that’s not my jurisdiction. I don’t get to make that choice. I’ve had [863 kids quarantined]. So, when we talk about a mask policy, this is not something that anyone wants to do. The board will have to vote, and whatever they vote, they vote. I hear what all of you are saying, I just have to get kids to school, and those numbers really alarm me. Education means a lot to me, I want your kids in school. This board is in a real dilemma; they’re in a tough place. There’s no easy answer,” said Seas.

The mask policy was placed on the table for a vote, and due to a lack of a second, the motion died on the floor. This news was received with an uproar of applause from the crowd.

The board continued with agenda items. With no more business before the board, the meeting was adjourned. The meeting minutes will be approved by the board at the next meeting, subject to revisions.