By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–After a lengthy and often heated debate during a two-hour-plus public forum over the masking issue, the Henry County Schools board of education unanimously voted to extend the mask mandate, with the parental opt-out clause, beyond Governor Lee’s executive order, which expires October 5. The parental opt-out of the mask mandate is in addition to the exemptions for health and religious reasons.
Over 100 people were on hand for the meeting and opinions were starkly and emotionally divergent, with the overwhelming majority of those in attendance strongly opposing any mask mandates at all.
Parents voiced concerns over contact tracing, the length and rationale of quarantining students, lack of education during quarantine periods, and out-and-out opposition to masking at all.
Several of those who spoke said flatly they would not comply with mask mandates. One speaker wore a “I Will Not Comply” t-shirt and a couple of people carried signs proclaiming, “Let Parents Choose”.
Over 30 people spoke during the public forum session, with the issue of parents being the final arbiters for their children strongly voiced.
Some parents spoke about the ill health affects that masks cause for their children, with others speaking of the importance for students to be able to see facial expressions. Others questioned the school board’s ability to do their jobs properly, while others cited studies against masking and vaccinations. Some parents also questioned the medical community, with fingers pointed at medical providers at the meeting.
Several of those who spoke claimed that school board members, officials and medical professionals are seen out in public without masks while some said bluntly they don’t trust people wearing masks, Others questioned the seriousness of the COVID pandemic, questioning statistics and studies.
Student Alicia Davis, who said she is a 12-year-old student at Harrelson spoke for masking and said, “If we don’t start doing the right thing, we might not have much chance of surviving this.”
Dr. Scott Whitby presented figures showing that 9 of the 352 people who have been hospitalized with COVID at the local hospital during the latest spike in COVID numbers were vaccinated and the rest were not.
Dr. Whitby said masking, vaccinations and social distancing are the things that the public can do to get rid of COVID. “If you don’t do these things, it will last forever and so many of you don’t want to do anything. It’s not fair for you to say you won’t do these things and then not give a solution of your own.”
Dr. Paula Bell of HCMC was emotional as she spoke of “watching people die every day and for you to sit here and say all this isn’t true amazes me.”
Jeff Morgan said he believes that the fear of COVID is “10 times worse than the disease.” He said his family and employees will not comply and said, “You ought to be ashamed of yourselves” for approving mask mandates “that do not work.”
Dr. Megan Higgins, a local pediatrician, said, “Masking is far from perfect, but it’s the only thing we have. We are trying to do the best we can with what we have.”
At the close of the public forum, Director of Schools Dr. Leigh Watkins said, “My heart is breaking, too. What you’re saying hurts us because we all love children. We are all in an awful situation. Never in my 24 years in education have I seen people so polarized. I hear you and I hear your pain. Thank you all for speaking tonight. We are all doing the best we can do.”
She said the board’s primary goal is to keep as many kids in school as possible and that masking in schools is working in that direction overall.
Board Member Jim McCampbell took exception to many of the comments made during the public forum. “A few of you said we don’t care. We’re trying to keep the schools open. We’re trying to keep folks from being sick.”
McCampbell noted that other schools around the country have been experiencing deaths of teachers and staff members. “Teachers have been dying in schools without mask mandates. To me, they’re the ones who don’t care.”
At the meeting’s outset, the board elected Tom Beasley chairman and Jill Coker as vice chair.
Photo by Shannon McFarlin.