I have two children in the Indian River School District. Although hesitant, I emailed the board of education to clarify the mask mandate imposed by Gov. John Carney. There are plenty of people who are opposed to the mandate, but some are in positions where they have to remain silent for fear of retaliation. Sad, right? So I am their voice.
I will stay away from any data points because this is about an alternative to masks and nothing more. I am not anti-mask by any means. I understand that a lot of parents want their children in masks in school, and that is their parental right, but where is my right to have an option. Why is there no hybrid model, such as the one used last year? Even with that, my son would come home tired, with a headache and a constant complaint about wearing a mask, and that was only two days a week! I can’t imagine what five days would be like.
Though I realize that some of this is out of BOE’s hands, my child’s education is in mine. I want an atmosphere where they are given the best chance of learning as much as they can and be successful in life. I believe in my children’s education because, one day, those kids will lead this great country. What I don’t believe in is being told how to parent my child and the district not providing an alternative means, so that my children can get the most out of school. Last year, the district used a hybrid in-school/remote-learning model. 1It went off without too much of a problem. The teachers did a fantastic job at something that they were thrown headfirst into. With some forethought, I think it could have been streamlined and been a great option for parents for this school year.
Not long after emailing BOE, I was contacted by Assistant Superintendent Karen Blannard. She listened to my concerns and gave me some insight on why things are going the way they are. When questioned about my son and his headaches, etc., she explained that there is indeed a medical exemption and gave me information on alternatives. In other words, I was being given an option. When I asked about there not being a hybrid model, she stated that there just weren’t enough educators to make that happen. She definitely seemed to empathize and was genuinely interested in my concerns. She gave me an outlet for my feelings, and it was definitely a nice surprise.
We are all in a difficult situation, but only you, the board of education and teachers, can help me prepare for my child’s future! Stay well, all, and have a great day!
Joe Hurd
Long Neck
