About 3.5% of Burrell School District’s 1,825 students have been granted medical exemptions allowing them not to wear masks in school, the district’s top official said Thursday.
Of those granted a medical exemption, a portion have yet to turn in necessary medical documentation, Superintendent Shannon Wagner said.
Those students don’t have to wear masks as their parents work to secure the medical documentation, Wagner said.
Some parents complained at a Burrell School Board meeting this week that they need more time to set up doctor’s appointments and supply the documentation that the district needs.
In response, the board voted unanimously to extend the deadline for submitting medical documentation for the exemption from this week until Tuesday.
Board members said they will be looking in greater detail at how to apply medical and other exemptions that would allow students not to wear a mask. The board plans to discuss the issue again when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
At this week’s school board meeting, more than a dozen parents railed against the school mask mandate imposed by the state Department of Health. It took effect Sept. 7. Before then, masks were optional in Burrell.
Some parents argued that masks are unsafe for their children and the mandate is not legal.
Parent Nikki Watson questioned the legality of the health department order and said she was talking to an attorney. Watson accused the state of using heavy-handed tactics to deny parents the authority to decide what is right for their children.
Watson said the district should allow parents to “take advantage of their rights” when it comes to deciding whether their children should wear masks.
Some speakers at the meeting were hostile, threatening to sue the district over the mask mandate and sometimes yelling over school officials.
Other parents said that, even though they disagree with the mask mandate, they want to work with the district.
The district recently surveyed families about the mask order and found that the community was roughly split down the middle on the issue, Wagner said.
Parents and the board members alike appeared to be visibly frustrated with the mandate.
In Burrell’s health and safety plan, the district said it would change its mask policy if directed by the state Department of Health or the Department of Education.
“The school district is following a public health order,” Wagner said.
She recommended to the board that the district continue following the health department’s order and the district’s health and safety plan.
“When there is a mandate, we will follow it,” said Wagner. “When there is no mandate, we will permit optional masking.”
If the district were to disregard the mask mandate, Wagner said, the district and school board members could be open to lawsuits over children who might become ill or are facing other health issues. Additionally, some insurance companies are exploring canceling coverage for districts not complying with the health department, she said.
Two school board members disclosed that they are against the mask mandates but said they have to follow health mandates.
“I do not agree with the level of control from the government,” board member LeeAnn Guido said. “This is an extreme overreach of government power. However, how we react to this injustice is very important. … You need to take your fight to people much more powerful than us.”
Another board member, Rachel Linderman, also bristled over the mandate and the potential legal penalties if it isn’t obeyed.
“We are in a position of being bullied by our government,” she said, advising parents to take their fight to the state and federal levels. “We are in agreement with you, but our hands are tied.”
Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Mary at 724-226-4691, mthomas@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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September 17, 2021 at 11:01AM
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Burrell gives families more time to complete documentation for mask exemption - TribLIVE
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