Brighton school board rejects mask mandate after debate
Brighton school officials will not implement a mask mandate in the district despite a board member's attempt to pass a resolution Tuesday night.
School board Vice President Alicia Reid proposed a resolution to require masks in schools in line with state health officials' recommendation that people mask in indoor settings regardless of vaccination status.
Reid said the board has a responsibility to provide for the health and welfare of the students.
She said it was intended to be a limited-time measure. She originally proposed a mask mandate be in place through Jan. 8 for all schools in the district.
The board ended up voting down proposed amendments that would have limited the mandate to the district's youngest students.
Board member Angela Krebs proposed it apply to students in day care and the lower grades, from 2 years old through 6th grade, starting Monday and lasting until two weeks after Christmas break unless the county's risk level drops to a moderate level or lower sooner than that.
Krebs supported a mask mandate for younger students "because parents might not have time to vaccinate their kids in time," she said.
Reid withdrew her original resolution due to lack of support from the board on Krebs' amendments.
As of Monday, the county is at high risk, the state reported on the MI Safe Start Map.
Several board members and parents who spoke at Tuesday's meeting expressed concerns about the mental health and social-emotional impacts of masks in schools.
Board member John Conely opposed implementing a mask mandate.
Conely worried about harm masks could cause to some students' mental health and well-being.
"We’re not doctors. We’re not the health department. We don’t have any right to implement this on anyone."
Concerned parents
Dozens of parents, students and teachers expressed concerns for about three hours Tuesday during a portion of the meeting reserved for comments from the public.
Some pleaded with the board to require masks in schools due to spread of COVID-19 in the county and surge of patients at local hospitals.
Some pleaded for the board to reject requiring masks, including many who were concerned about the impact masks have on students' mental health and wellness.
Brighton mother Katie Mitchell urged school board to pass the mask policy.
Mitchell said she was worried about the surge at local hospitals, students getting sick and quarantines.
She said everyone wants masks to end but people need to work together.
"We need to band together to get there as quickly as possible."
Other parents spoke out against requiring masks, including a couple students who say it is negatively impacting mental health.
One young Maltby Intermediate School student talked about her own struggles, saying masks made it difficult for her to connect with others.
She said masks make her feel frightened.
"As a person who is directly affected, I ask you not to pass the mask mandate."
A young man in high school said students are struggling with depression and other mental health issues.
"It's hard to empathize with other students when you can't see who they are."
Contact Livingston Daily reporter Jennifer Timar at jtimar@livingstondaily.com. Follow her on Twitter @jennifer_timar.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Brighton school board rejects mask mandate
