Jefferson City Schools parents feel strongly about mask mandate
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Parents in the Jefferson City School District have strong feelings on whether their children should have to wear masks at school a day after district leaders announced the decision.
And like the battles over masks in schools seen across the country, they don't agree.
Nikki Evers is not in favor of the decision. Last school year, her son got a mask exemption from a doctor. Evers said he was not treated fairly in the schools when that happened.
"He went to West Elementary last year. The art teacher said he couldn't talk to his peers, he couldn't socialize, which I understand to an extent. She would also place him in the hallway during group activities because he posed a threat others," Evers said.
Watch the Jefferson City Board of Education meeting replay in the player below.
This treatment led to Evers taking her son out of school in February and homeschooling him.
"Homeschooling has been amazing and his attitude has turned around. This is what I want to recommend to other parents if the district isn't going to listen to the parents and listen to the community, pull your kids and homeschool them," Evers said.
The district said students and staff members should bring a mask to school every day and wear them where a distance of 3 feet can't be maintained. Masks should be worn when entering the school building, within common areas, during passing periods in the hallways and during small group activities.
Masks will also be required including on all school buses.
District leaders say the requirements follow Cole County Health Department recommendations and practices at other area schools. Cole County is part of a statewide surge in coronavirus cases caused by the more contagious delta variant. The county ranks 19th in the state for most new cases per capita over the past week. Neighboring Callaway, Moniteau and Miller counties are all in the top 20.
Some parents are thanking the district making a safe decision.
Sarah Jenkins has a son going into first grade at Belair Elementary. Jenkins said she does not agree with the negative comments from other parents in the district.
"I struggle to find any kind of negativity in a decision that is ultimately trying to keep our kids healthy and safe," Jenkins said.
Jenkins said at her house, she and her husband have stressed the importance of wearing masks and how that protects others.
The Jefferson City Board of Education met Tuesday -- its first since the district made the decision.
Because the masking mandate was not on the consent agenda, public comment was not allowed at the meeting.
Parents spoke out on the district's Facebook post saying, "We the parents request a special meeting" and "It's ridiculous that they make this decision and then not have it on the agenda the following meeting."
