Days before a new school year, Newport-Mesa Unified still in tug-of-war over mask mandate
In their last regular meeting before classes begin Monday, Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustees looked ahead to a new academic year that, despite a statewide mask mandate, is much more permissive than last year.
Officials convened Tuesday at the Costa Mesa district office where outside, parents mobilized under a national “Let Them Breathe” campaign protested an order by the California Department of Public Health requiring students to mask up indoors.
Inside, commenters took turns excoriating and praising the safety measure.
“Masks collect and colonize viruses, bacteria and mold — masking our children is child abuse,” said mom Kris Jones. “Several school districts have already approved mask choice in the state of California. We would like to join forces with those districts.”
One speaker, a retired public school teacher, said she feared a fast-spreading Delta variant puts kids at greater risk of becoming sick from the coronavirus.
“A masked kid is a safe kid,” she said, eliciting taunting laughter from mask opponents. “Don’t abandon your responsibility to protect them and risk putting them in an uncompromising situation that will affect their lives in years to come.”
Parent Karen Bates said COVID-19 barely poses a risk to children’s health, far less than the flu, while masks that collect bacteria can harm children’s immune systems.
“My daughter will not be wearing a mask in the classroom, and I will back her on that,” she added.
Board President Karen Yelsey told audience members that trustees received numerous comments by email from members of the public who favored mask-wearing but did not want to appear in a boardroom where people would be unmasked. She assured board members read all comments submitted.
“Let Them Breathe” rallies have been staged at board meetings throughout Orange County in response to the July 9 announcement indoor masking would return in the 2021-22 school year. While the state has mandated facial coverings, it has left it up to school districts to determine how to deal with non-compliant students.
At Newport-Mesa, officials say schools are offering medical exemptions to students who need them but have not overtly stated how non-compliant students will be handled, other than to say children who struggle with compliance will be given the option to attend the district’s 100% virtual Cloud Campus, which has a current enrollment of about 320.
Meanwhile, students will be allowed to take their masks off in outdoor settings. Because California teachers are being required to prove their vaccination status or bring in weekly negative COVID-19 tests to ensure they’re uninfected, NMUSD will allow adults to go mask free indoors if no students are present.
“My daughter will not be wearing a mask in the classroom. And I will back her on that.”
— Karen Bates, NMUSD parent
Many protocols put in place last year, including regular disinfection and contact tracing when infections are reported, will remain in the new school year. Other precautions, like maintaining social distance in classrooms and plexiglass dividers between students, have been foregone.
Yelsey urged families to follow guidelines so that Newport-Mesa could keep physical campuses open to full-day learning.
“I know some people don’t agree with certain things,” she said. “[But] I think we need to keep our eyes focused on what we want and that’s to keep schools open.”
Interim Supt. Hank Bangser, who came to the district earlier this month on a limited contract, told community members he has high hopes for the week ahead.
“I know there will be some disagreements about how we’ve implemented the CDPH guidelines,” he said. “But we are going to do our best to be respectful and responsive to whatever it is you place before us.”
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