NORTH BATTLEFORD - Opposition to mask mandates in schools has made its way to the Living Sky School Board.
At what was a somewhat contentious board meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the trustees heard from Mark Carlson, representing a group of concerned parents opposing the mask mandates put in place in the school division. He told the board his group of concerned parents was approaching 500 people and the numbers were growing every day.
The presentation was in response to protocols imposed throughout the school division for the return to school this fall.
Among the protocols put in place was the requirement of masks on buses for all students. According to the policy, masking is required for everyone at all elementary schools (Grade 6 and below/under the age of 12) and is strongly recommended in high schools. Where it is a PreK/K-12 school, masks are required in all common areas and where social distancing cannot happen.
In his presentation Carlson asserted the board was going outside provincial mandates in imposing the masking policy in schools.
“There is a significant amount of negative outcomes which are drastically outweighing any benefit from this intervention protocol,” Carlson said.
He posed several questions for the board. His group wanted to know what sort of job risk assessment was done for their policy, whether there was third-party consultation to get proper information, who was involved in advising the board, what sort of positive outcomes were desired and what were the negative outcomes that were weighed against.
Carlson told the board that the masking policy was causing children “physical harm and mental harm.” He wanted to see data backing up the board’s decision. Carlson also pledged to provide nine papers to the board, with data supporting the position that there was no risk to children from COVID-19.
One paper he cited was an Icelandic study that stated children do not transmit the virus to adults and that the risk was extremely low or negligible.
“Children do not pose a threat to the public from this disease,” said Carlson. “They do not transmit it to adults. There is overwhelming data across this planet.”
Carlson also asked why there was no consultation done with the public. “Was there meeting minutes? Was there a poll, a survey, on these interventions to weigh the positive and negative outcomes?”
He further accused the board of not representing them.
“We have elected officials in this room that are representing parents, that we do not feel are properly representing us. So, no, to say this is a pleasant conversation, it isn’t. We really need to understand where this information is coming from and who is supplying it.”
In her response, Living Sky Board chair Ronna Pethick said the board was “elected to make decisions” and added the board “always followed the recommendations of our local medical health officers … and that is taken into account when we make our decision.”
Pethick noted there had been “little to no transmission” within their school system and within the province, and said “what we’ve understood is that it’s because of the protocols that have been in place – that is, masking and distancing.”
Pethick also noted support for the division’s protocols.
“I understand that you represent a group of parents who are upset and who question why we did what we did. But you have to know, Mr. Carlson, that there’s also a larger group of people who we have heard from, that are thanking us for the protocols we have put in place to ensure the safety and health of our students and our staff.”
Director of Education Brenda Vickers responded by acknowledging "we all have the best for our kids in our minds and our hearts. I think sometimes we are seeing differently how to get there but I know, I know, that you want the best for your kids and I trust that you know as a school system that’s where we agree.”
Vickers pledged to get back to Carlson with a link to an application form to access their records. She noted that she meets with her medical team a minimum of twice a month “and sometimes more so.”
The school division also acknowledged they have received a number of letters from concerned parents opposing the masking policy. Vickers said at the meeting she had personally taken time to “read every letter,” and had reached out to schools to confirm some of the concerns.
“We do take it seriously,” said Vickers.
Pethick also acknowledged receiving the letters, and made it known that the decision to impose the protocols wasn’t made out of the blue.
“The decision that we made wasn’t made just because,” Pethick added. “We made it based on recommendations from our doctors, from local medical health officers. And so we want to assure you we are not unlike most school divisions in this province who have implemented the same or even stricter protocols. We’re not an anomaly in this province.”
