The Topsham-based Maine School Administrative District 75 School Board meeting Thursday abruptly ended because four children who were present in the audience were not wearing masks.
Chairperson Holly Kopp adjourned the meeting about four minutes in, stating the audience members were not complying with the mask mandate policy.
The district’s policy is that all in attendance — audience members, staff and board members — must be masked in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Kopp had asked the children to wear masks. It was not clear Thursday night as to why they remained unmasked.
“It is really unfortunate that kids aren’t given the chance to stand up for themselves,” said Kelly Merrill, a parent who lives in Harpswell. “A whole school board meeting adjourned because some of my children refuse to put their masks on. I think that shows that the board has its own agenda. I think they took the easy way out and they called off the meeting when they were supposed to be hearing from all of the parents about their thoughts. It just continues to show that the board somehow believes they have a greater power than they do and that they are in charge of our children and we are not.”
“I think it could have been handled better by the board,” said Topsham parent Andy Wallace. “I get that it was awkward and uncomfortable but they could have asked them to step out, rather than send everyone home. Frankly, I think it was a real-life example of how ridiculous this has gotten.”
Wallace continued: “There was more than enough room for social distancing. They could have even asked them to move to an area where they would have been 50 feet from anyone else. I can’t imagine that they aren’t embarrassed. It could be interpreted by some as bullying kids. It was a public display of what people are upset about when it comes to kids and masks. It was ugly.”
There was nothing unusual on Thursday’s agenda, and no planned discussion regarding masks.
However, a small number of parents including Wallace previously indicated they wanted to address the board about the district’s mask policy, which has come under fire in some segments of the community, as was the perceived lack of response to those concerns by the superintendent.
“In October 2021, the School Board of MSAD 75 voted to give sole discretion to the superintendent to decide when the school mask mandate should end and become a choice,” wrote Bowdoin resident Stacey Wheeler in a letter to The Times Record printed Thursday. “The reason for this vote was because they were tired of ‘being flooded by emails,’ hearing from each side of the table and dealing with issues related to our children. This decision shows an utter disrespect for the communities they serve.”
Wheeler accused the board of violating its code of ethics.
“If willing to give up the democratic process now, how will future issues be handled?” Wheeler wrote. “Will turning over important decisions to the superintendent become commonplace because the Board does not want to be flooded with communication from their constituents?”
Masking, along with vaccinations, are the best way to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
On Thursday, the Portland Press Herald reported that the number of COVID cases in Maine continues to decline. There were 308 individuals in Maine being treated, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an increase of four since Wednesday, but still down 29 percent from the omicron peak of 436 set nearly a month ago.
Thursday’s board meeting will be rescheduled.
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