Luverne School Board members convened Thursday night in the performing arts center to accommodate more than 50 people for a listening session ahead of the regular agenda.
Several individuals shared prepared remarks about masking in school — both for it and against it — and a common theme emerged: We need to do what’s best for the children.
While the passion was there, consensus was not.
Some think what’s best for children is masking at school when Covid cases are on the rise, because face coverings prevent person-to-person transmission of the virus so that students can learn in person in school.
Others think what’s best for children is freedom from masking, because they think masks can harbor bacteria and interfere with learning due to distraction and not being able to read facial expressions.
From the microphone
“I’m not trying to convince you to stop wearing a mask; I want you to have that choice,” said Evan Meinerts, the first at the mic. “But I hope you can see that there are real, logical, evidence-based reasons to not wear a mask, and we want to choose.”
He also questioned the effectiveness of masks and the quality of CDC research, because he said simulated lab tests don’t replicate an actual school day.
“Not enough studies have been done on these real-world scenarios, so it is unethical to require people to comply when there are valid health concerns to doing so.”
Ashley Mundt said she was disappointed to learn the mask mandate was dropped due to lack of community support. “Since when is it up to the community to decide how the school will protect our children?” she said.
“We have an incident command team made up of competent staff and medical experts that we should be listening to. Instead, we are taking advice from those spreading misinformation from sites that promote conspiracy theories.”
And she urged empathy and understanding. “Remember that with freedom comes responsibility,” she said.
“Lack of compassion affects others around you. It affects kids and staff with medical conditions, it affects the medical profession. No one enjoys wearing a mask, but we teach our children to help protect each other.”
She said students wore masks last year and didn’t mind this year until parents got involved.
Brad Sieve warned in general of government overstepping power and said the “school board’s job is to make sure the views of all parents are represented, not just their personal beliefs.”
He said students should be allowed to choose whether or not to wear a mask and said teachers shouldn’t single out and shame students for their masking choice.
“We are here to stand up for our kids. We need a school board that is willing to do the same,” he said. “We need a school board that is willing to listen to all opinions, not just the ones they agree with.”
Sieve further said the board should make the decisions, not an appointed third party (the district’s incident command team).
Emily Rensink contradicted concerns about communicating through face coverings.
“My son is 4. He’s unilaterally deaf and has cochlear implants,” she said, stating that he employs speech therapy and sign language services through the school.
“In the last year and a half he and his staff have worn face coverings to stay safe, and his speech is almost perfect now, even though all his services have been during Covid.”
She said the only thing that hindered his progress was when he couldn’t have in-person lessons. “The only agenda the school board has is keeping every child safe and in school, and we’ve always trusted them to do what they think is best,” she said.
She said she appreciated the invitation for public input, but she said decisions should be up to the board.
“We’ve elected them to do what’s best for our children.”
Randy Sasker said he’s concerned about student mental health.
“We have children coming home from school with reports of being bullied by other students,” he said. “Some comments from staff. They come from both sides of the topic. This does not create a stable environment for learning.”
Sasker also said that if people in other areas of town — at business offices and stores —aren’t masking, students shouldn’t have to either.
He also asked for a community vote on the masking issue, “in order to arrive at a mutual resolution.”
Jason Mundt said parents’ behavior is making it difficult for teachers.
“Teachers and staff should not have to fight the students in the classroom because the students don’t want to wear it or because their parents said they don’t have to wear it.
“Again, it’s not up to the parents. The staff are the employees and this is their place of employment. Kids are here to learn and respect their teachers in the classroom.”
Steffanie St. Clair - mentioned 53 percent of those eligible to receive Covid vaccinations in Rock County have done so.
“Anyone over 12 has had time to weigh the risks or benefits, but furthermore has a right to accept or reject medical advice based on their personal scenarios,” she said.
“Covid, like any illness, will spread despite our efforts. How dare we place the burden of reducing transmission entirely on our children.”
She said that many people do risky things to prioritize convenience over health, such as eating unhealthy foods or riding in a car.
“Our conclusion is to reject the stress of worrying over every breath. I am more sad for people living in fear than I am for those who died,” St. Clair said. “Death is not new.
“This is just a new way to die. … So, we go maskless, not because we don’t care, but because we’ve done our own research beyond what we read on social media.”
Jacqueline Johnson is a speech language pathologist working in southwest Minnesota school districts.
“I wear a mask by choice in two districts and by mandate in one, where the decision was data driven,” she said. “There was absolutely no fanfare to this announcement. The district’s enrollment is at an all-time high; in fact, and mask compliance for students is at 100 percent.
“This speaks volumes to their desire to maintain in-person schooling, about the respect they convey to the administration and teachers and what priorities they have placed on promoting a safe environment for everyone in the building.”
From the board
Per the district’s policy, the board took no action following the remarks, which were presented courteously and respectfully with no crowd reaction.
The board conducted its regular monthly meeting once the requested speakers were finished.
As a point of clarification, Board Vice Chair Tim Jarchow said the district had sent early communications about COVID-19 protocols, despite many families feeling as though decisions were made hastily for last week’s mask mandate.
He said the incident command team was developed at the start of the pandemic in order to monitor and respond to changes in Coovid case rates.
The board, per policy, responds to recommendations from the team, which is comprised of parents, teachers, school administration, local doctors, emergency management officials and public health personnel.
“Every family at the start of the school year last year received communication about the incident command team and how it makes decisions,” Jarchow said.
Superintendent Craig Oftedahl said the community debate is taking a toll on school leadership.
“We’re stuck,” Oftedahl said. “There’s no right answer.”
No matter what they do, he said, it will be wrong in the eyes of roughly half the district residents.
But he said Luverne isn’t alone. “This is playing out districts all over,” Oftedahl said. “Sixty-seven school board members so far have resigned in Minnesota.”