Student mask mandate discussed at Lawrence school board meeting
Jeremy Ratliff, a parent of two children who attend Fallsburg Elementary, addressed the Lawrence County Board of Education Monday night about the state requirement for students to wear masks while attending school. BSN photo/Tony Fyffe
By TONY FYFFE
BSN Editor
LOUISA — The Lawrence County School District had a “fast and furious” start to the new school year last week, especially where the controversial issue of students wearing masks in the classroom was concerned, Superintendent Dr. Robbie Fletcher told the local school board Monday night.
Fletcher noted that the school board opted during a special meeting Aug. 9 to allow individual parents to decide whether their children would wear masks while attending in-person classes, pending any action by the governor.
The board’s decision became moot the following day after Gov. Andy Beshear issued an executive order mandating that all students mask up while in school, Fletcher said, adding that there are medical exemptions to the rule.
In addition, the Kentucky Board of Education on Thursday approved a regulation requiring students to wear masks while in school.
Fletcher noted that Beshear’s order is in effect for 30 days and can be renewed, while the state school board’s regulation can last up to 270 days.
“There are two different things that basically carry the weight of law,” he said.
Despite the mask mandate, student attendance is “much better than what we ended” last school year, Fletcher said.
A total of 2,330 students are enrolled in the school district, including 114 who take classes virtually, he said. A total of 102 students in the county are homeschooled, he said.
Four parents opposed to the mask mandate addressed board members during the public comment portion of Monday’s meeting, including Jeremy Ratliff, who has two children who attend Fallsburg Elementary.
“You’re all doing what you’re told; we all get that,” Ratliff said. “…But the message needs to get back, okay? Choice is what this is really about.”
Ratliff urged the board to “put the message back up the chain” concerning personal choice.
“Let them know that people have a point that they’ll stop,” he said. “For some, it’s the masks. They’re going to jerk them out of school, as you have seen. For others, it’s going to be the vaccinations, because those will probably be mandated. Some people don’t want their kids to have it, you’ll lose more students. That serves nobody. You got it, it’s out there, give people the choice. They can do it or not do it. We should be responsible for our health and our children’s health, not everybody else.”
Another parent, Phillip Branham, said the problem is “misinformation” about COVID-19.
“I’ve been raised on the Democrat side, and I’ve been raised on the Republican side and the independent side,” he said. “This is not a political thing. This is a death sentence.”
Fletcher said Lawrence County students have been “phenomenal” about wearing masks in the classroom.
“The first day of school, the kids were awesome, and they were better than the superintendent was. I was mad,” Fletcher said.
Board member Garnett Skaggs said she agreed with the parents’ position and that she had been “torn in two tonight” about wearing a mask during the meeting.
“I almost left the board meeting out of respect for him (Fletcher),” she said. “He wanted me to wear a mask. Honestly, it’s killing me. I hate them. I about smother to death. I probably will end up with an excuse from a doctor.”
She urged the parents to continue getting involved and expressing their opinions to the powers-that-be.
“And folks, if we don’t, they’re going to keep right on pushing it,” Skaggs said.
Fletcher said some state legislators are taking steps to see if the governor’s mandates are legal.