View the public comment portion of the 7/22/21 D158 School Board Special Meeting below.
Our Parent Union composed and released a joint statement which was read by one parent. This is the first speaker presented during public comments.
8:01 – Concerns regarding district’s legal right to enforce mask and testing mandates. Outlines many of the Illinois and school codes and asking board to simply follow the law on masks and testing, which states that discrimination and forcefully using medical devices or health examinations.
Our Parent Union suggested making masks optional and having the district use their COVID relief funds to purchase N95 masks for those students that want them, giving a science-backed solution for the parents who want virus protection. Please choose this option which satisfies both sides of this issue.
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18:25 – Mother states infections are on the rise and more transmissible variants are coming. Asks board to abide by advice to mask children for the 2021-22 school year until every child has the opportunity to be vaccinated.
22:02 – Mother reads a letter from the state’s attorney regarding mask mandates stating that they are not needed in school and that fear-based closures result in lost educational time. Asks that they not mandate masks for healthy children over a small number of worried individuals.
26:26 – Father: “We can’t come here and ask questions and get answers from you” and it leads to everyone being divided and “leading to a lot of mistrust.” The masks have become a game, as we know they do not do a thing to prevent the spread. He and his wife have pulled their children out of the district due to indecision and hope the district can get back on track.
30:55 – Mother discusses LIGHT program inconsistencies and how it applies to her special needs daughter. Points out that they are an at-risk family with a spouse who is a paramedic and her Down Syndrome daughter had a waiver to go to school unmasked last year. She and her classmates are at risk but were allowed to unmask last year, so the board should do the right thing for all.
34:56 – Father cut family trip short to speak after he heard board encouraged giving pro-mask parents another opportunity to speak tonight. He says life is not without risk and children have resilient immune systems. Masks are all for show and imagery unless they are N95s.
38:00 – The board announces that they will hold a vote on masks at the Committee of the Whole meeting next week. Our Parent Union decided to attend this meeting on 8/5/21 and speak as well.