Williamson County School Board member Nancy Garrett spent her weekend counting where parents who reached out to her fell on the pro- or anti-mask debate.
“This afternoon at 3:00 p.m., I had 781 emails requesting masking,” she says as she unfolds multiple sheets of paper. “I had 348 emails against masking.”
People begin to yell at her, and she responds, “These people are not here, and there are reasons they’re not here.”
In the midst of parent protest and a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Williamson County school board decided (7-3) to implement a face covering mandate at elementary schools beginning this Thursday. The decision will be in effect for a month before the board has to return and vote again.
Since the new school year began last Friday, nurses have reported 25 new cases. That’s a sharp increase from last year when the average was 3 to 4 cases a week.
While Superintendent Jason Golden shared these facts with attendees, one of them could be seen using air quotes and mouthing “facts.” Golden also had to defend his recommendation on a mask mandate to a board member who was on the fence.
“We may not be able to look back and say, ‘Hey, blank decision solved this issue,’ he says. “The CDC talks about these layers — where you have layers and layers of mitigation strategies.”
Last year, the school district canceled the first mask mandate at the end of the school year because of dwindling COVID-19 cases. Now, the Delta variant is increasing the risk of the virus spreading, especially in kids under 12 years old who aren’t able to get the vaccine.
Another difference this year is that, if the district goes remote because of an outbreak, it will count as an inclement weather day.
More: Metro Nashville Schools To Kick Off New Academic Year With Mask Mandate
Some Williamson school district leaders say they are not opposed to making masks optional if the health risk decreases.
During Tuesday night’s special meeting, many parents who are also doctors made a plea to the board using science in favor of personal emotions.
“At the time that our children are facing the most risk, we have left them in the most danger,” Vanderbilt University Infectious Disease Dr. Aima Ahonkai said as a timer went off and attendees yelled time. “The mask mandate is the way to go,” she tried to add before she was yelled over again.
Parents like Ahonkai, along with school board members, were met with strong opposition from parents who were against requiring face coverings and threatened to sue the district. As the outside door opened to the building, you could hear chants against a mask mandate.
“Zero authority to mandate masks,” parent Nick Scheiber said during public comment. “Do temperature checks or even contact trace. Education is your only primary duty.”
Tension around this decision started long before the meeting was held. It even prompted a school board member to call out people making threats.
Pro-tip, if you're attempting to influence me on a vote, emailing a suggested threat that involves photos of my colleagues children is about as bad a way to go about it as there is.
— Eric Welch (@EricWelchWCS) August 10, 2021
Up until this point, only 20-25% of parents chose to send their kids to school wearing a mask.
“I fully support a parent’s right to chose when the choice only impacts their family, their child,” board member Jennifer Aprea said. She went on to make an analogy using her child’s lunches: it’s like respecting other children’s nut allergies by not packing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for her own kid.
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