Issue stirs spirited discussion from board, teachers, passes 3-2
The Giltner School Board passed a mask mandate at its regular monthly meeting Oct. 14 after spirited remarks from the community as well as a few tense moments within board discussion.
The mandate, which passed on a 3-2 vote, requires all students, staff and faculty to wear masks at all times within the school building. Yes votes included Chris Waddle, Michael Wilson and Mykelin Watson with no votes coming from Ross Lyon and Justin Bendorf.
The decision to require masks came one week after grades 7-12 were forced to enter a quarantine period after multiple positive cases within the student population. Grades 7, 8 and 9 returned to school Oct. 14 while grades 10, 11 and 12 return to school Wednesday.
The meeting was held in the elementary gym with the board spaced out across the floor with several staff and family members in attendance.
It was during its July meeting that the GPS board voted no on requiring student or staff members to wear a mask, but that it was strongly encouraged. That was approved at the time, they concluded, based on a 4-1 vote with the dissension coming from Waddle.
After a Zoom call with Central District Health Department director Teresa Anderson as well as input from seven faculty members and families, the board revisited the mask mandate issue for nearly 30 minutes.
“You either go all in on masks or you don’t, and if you don’t, you subject yourself to what we’ve had happened last week,” Waddle noted of the recent GPS mass quarantine. “That’s the choice we’re facing tonight.”
Giltner Supt. Nick Mumm pointed out that communication within families on possible exposure or positive cases hasn’t been timely. In one instance, there was a refusal to cooperate with the health district involving a positive case.
“I’ve seen a class with my own son in that is a 3- and 4-year old group, and I’ve seen them keep a mask on for two hours straight and not blink an eye,” Mumm reported. “Kids are resilient. I have to do what’s best for the kids in a safe manner.”
According to Mumm, there will be designated times when students will be able to remove their mask for a break. This will be determined by the administration and the teachers. This policy also includes wearing a mask on all district transportation.
“Mask breaks are necessary,” Mumm said. “Whether that’s at recess, lunch while eating or other designated times. It’s worth doing when it’s safe.”
Lyon moved the conversation to extracurricular activities and whether or not masks needed to be worn during practices or games.
“If we’re supposed to be social distancing and doing all we can to keep kids in school for educational purposes, why aren’t we looking at being on the cutting edge and looking at those areas as well, if that’s our first priority?” Lyon remarked.
“So how about we vote for the mask mandate first and then we’ll talk about it,” Waddle responded.
Waddle added that the Central District Health Department isn’t requiring athletic programs to have masks and that he wasn’t surprised Giltner found itself in the situation of a mass quarantine.
“We’re not getting the reporting like we’re supposed to and we have people showing up to volleyball games with no one wearing masks,” Waddle said. “We’re going to have more exposures. If the health department is saying our kids can stay in this building by wearing masks, I’m going to vote to keep them in masks.”
Waddle also pointed out that the CDHD has the authority to tell Giltner to send kids home, similar to the Oct. 14 decision.
“Give me a solution that deals with not sending our kids home,” Waddle asked. “I’m happy to entertain it.”
“I wish we could have heard some expert testimony from both sides of the fence, not only her’s (Anderson),” Lyon responded.
Waddle noted that only Anderson and the health department has the authority to send students home.
“This isn’t an ideological issue or a political issue,” Waddle said. “This is merely the health department having the authority to send kids home if we don’t have a mask policy. It’s not about whether I believe the virus is real or if masks work or not.”
Community discussion
Seven faculty and community members addressed the board before its decision, all of whom were pushing for the mask mandate.
First to speak was longtime Hornet 7-12 math teacher and coach Nancy Lockmon, who talked about the struggles of online learning.
At first, Lockmon wanted to address the board to talk about the struggles, but had a change of heart when she felt like whatever she said would fall on deaf ears.
“There have been plenty of times I’ve asked athletes to stay on the court and battle even when the chances of winning the game aren’t great,” she said. “Those athletes always gave their best effort. So here I am, giving my best effort, for what I believe is in the best interest for Giltner Public School.”
She pointed out there are students already behind as it is and she said she fears they will fall further behind if online-learning continues.
She went on to say that just in the past week, students have been playing video games, babies sitting on students’ laps, pet snakes around students’ necks as well as students conversing with other people in the home, all while during Zoom class.
“Our goal is to provide the best quality education and do what we need to in an effort to make that happen,” she said.
Lockmon also added that just quarantining students to stay home isn’t effective. All she was asking for was to help the school keep kids in the classroom.
“I’ve come, competed, and given my best effort to try and win the battle,” Lockmon said. “Every once in awhile, one of those underdog teams pulls off an upset.”
Beth Omel, a mother of two GPS students, noted to the board that voting for a mask mandate doesn’t mean they agree with masks or even that they believe COVID is real.
“If that is what it takes to keep kids in school, it seems like a no-brainer to me,” she said. “Set your political beliefs aside and do what’s best for the school.
“Some of you said you were speaking for the community, but you are not,” she continued. “I am part of this community, and you’re not speaking for me. You’re basing your vote on your political thoughts on COVID.”
Omel added that families and educators all want the same thing -- to keep kids in school and avoid e-learning.
“Do what is best for these kids and keep them in school,” she finished. “Re-think the no mask mandate, please.”
High school English teacher and librarian Wendy Findley also addressed the board sharing of the struggles over the past week and how hard it’s been as an educator.
“This last week has been absolutely miserable,” she said. “I’ve been in tears twice on the way home. It’s all I can do.”
She added that so much time has been spent uploading materials, teaching bell-to-bell as well as being in the library for the elementary students that were in school, that there hasn’t been enough time in the day.
“I think it’s important to give the students feedback for all the work they’ve done for me,” Findley said. “To do that takes a lot of time. That time has to come from somewhere.”
She was pushing for resolution one of the policy that states site of instruction requires students to be in person if enrolled at Giltner.
“If that doesn’t remain, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she said. “I do not have the time to do in-person instruction and teach kids at home.”
The board passed a resolution one to have students required to be in-person if enrolled at Giltner with a 5-0 vote.
Anderson speaks
The board meeting began with a Zoom call from CDHD director Teresa Anderson, who reported that they don’t want to close schools down.
“We want these kids in school. That’s the safest place for them and its where they learn the best,” she said.
Anderson also explained that wearing masks makes those individuals “low risk” and to a point, there’s minimal spread if masks are worn.
As of Wednesday’s meeting, Anderson reported that cases are up in all three counties with a positivity rate of 22 percent.
The CDHD’s two goals, according to Anderson, are to keep students in schools and not overwhelm local hospitals.
When asked if wearing masks could have prevented such a widespread quarantine at Giltner on Oct. 7, Anderson said yes.
She reiterated at the end of her Zoom call that the best way to protect students and keep them in the building is to have them wear masks.
“It could be a different school with these numbers next week,” she said. “There’s no way to know. We have to wear masks to help prevent that.”