By Tim Mastro

Protests over masking in schools played out in school board meetings all across the state over the past two weeks.

The discussion was not always cordial. Several meetings were forced to take recesses due to noncompliance with the current COVID-19 mask requirements in school buildings. Others struggled to stay on track or were cut short, as numerous audience members failed to follow Robert’s Rules of Order.

The Milford School Board moved some of its agenda items to its September meeting to provide additional time for public comment at its meeting on Monday, according to board president Jason Miller. Mr. Miller began the meeting by asking unmasked individuals to wear a face covering and again issued a reminder just before the public comment portion of the evening.

The request was answered by audience members shouting at the board, with a handful still refusing to wear a mask. Mr. Miller called for a recess but the meeting was able to resume minutes later.

A majority, but not all of the public commentators spoke out against the board and urged members to not follow Gov. John Carney’s order regarding masks in schools.

“This is the most pathetic operation I have ever seen,” said a maskless John Urban during public comment. “You people are operating on a system that makes you nothing but a political football.”

Others offered support for the board, such as Benjamin Banneker Elementary teacher Susan Puddicombe who said she will wear her mask to keep the children in her class and other staff members safe.

“This is merely an inconvenience for a short period of time,” she said. “It is a small sacrifice we can make to keep our community safe.”

“The kids want to keep each other safe,” Jennifer Sinelli added, saying she was at band camp over the summer and did not notice any problems with masking. “The kids understand the need for masks. It is the parents who are saying these things, not the kids. The teachers need to be protected, the bus drivers, the custodians. I pray for these people to start caring for other people because clearly they don’t.”

Two board members, Scott Fitzgerald and Dr. Adam Brownstein, also read statements announcing they were opposed to Gov. Carney’s order.

Dr. Brownstein said he attempted to have the board send a letter to Gov. Carney but did not have enough votes to do so. Mr. Fitzgerald referenced the fact only two children under the age of 18 have died from COVID-19 in Delaware.

“A teenager is more likely to die in an auto accident than they are of COVID, yet we do not have restrictions on teens driving or riding in cars,” Mr. Fitzgerald said. “In fact, quite the opposite, we significantly restricted bus transportation, forcing more children to ride in cars which are far less safe than a school bus. As a board, we are unable to ignore a mandate from the governor. But I wanted to go on record with my opposition.”

Mr. Miller and board vice president Rony Baltazar-Lopez issued a joint statement later in the week following statements made by the sitting board members about the face covering requirement in K-12 schools.

“The Milford School Board would like to remind the entire school district community that personal views, opinions, and comments made by members of the board regarding face masks do not reflect the official position of the governing body or the district,” their statement read. “The DHSS’ face covering requirement is clear: everyone kindergarten-age and older in K-12 schools, including Milford schools, must wear a face mask to reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The Milford School Board does not have the statutory authority to violate an executive order. The board has an obligation to ensure that every student receives a well-rounded education despite the ongoing circumstances caused by the pandemic, and we look forward to ensuring that the upcoming school year is the most optimal learning experience for students, staff, parents and the entire Milford School District community.”

Cape Henlopen’s board meeting also turned contentious as board members were cursed at and threatened while voting to end the meeting early. When one public commenter spoke in support of masks she was booed by the crowd.

Cape’s board president Alison Myers said the vote to adjourn the meeting and halt public comments early was because of “the temperament of the crowd.”

Indian River had its board meeting at Sussex Central High’s football stadium to avoid any issues with the mask requirements, which are only for indoor facilities. The district was the first in Delaware to issue a no-confidence vote in the mandate for Gov. Carney, although it will still be following it.

These were not the only board meetings in the state to have their format altered.

The Brandywine Board of Education also ended its Aug. 16 meeting early after attendees did not adhere to the mask guidelines. Caesar Rodney’s board meeting on Aug. 17 needed a 20-minute recess in order for the audience to become compliant. Red Clay held a meeting on Aug. 18 which was constantly interrupted by crowd members chanting at the board.

Democrats on the Senate Education Committee, including Chair Laura Sturgeon, Majority Whip Elizabeth Lockman, Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola and Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend issued a statement about the disruptions, saying it showed the “immature and irresponsible behavior that has become a hallmark of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“During the height of the pandemic, many of these same parents protested remote learning, in which children virtually participated in school from home where no mask was needed,” the statement read. “They were adamant then that students belong in classrooms with their teachers. Now that our school districts are preparing for a return to in-person instruction with straightforward public health precautions in place, masks have suddenly become the focus of their outrage.”

“We agree that our students learn best in the classroom, and that’s why we support the prudent public health choices that will allow that to occur this fall,” it continued. “This pandemic is weighing heavily on all of us, but the reality is no amount of protest and disruption at school board meetings will end it any sooner. The more people refuse to do what is necessary to protect their neighbors and their communities, the longer it will take for us to emerge from this public health crisis.”

The statement concluded by saying, “Our schools and our children’s education should not be held hostage by a vocal minority who expect their frustrations to trump science, data, and our shared responsibility to one another.”

Gov. Carney’s office has said the recent requirement is consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and “will help all Delaware students safely return to classrooms full-time this fall.”

The CDC also recommends masks be worn indoors in areas of substantial and high COVID-19 spread. All three Delaware counties are considered high areas of spread with Kent County currently averaging 310.86 new positive cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people and Sussex County averaging 278.79 per 100,000, according to CDC data.