She worked to keep family safe, but mother learns her child has COVID
By Trevor Sochocki, Anna Muckenfuss
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MIDLAND, Michigan (WNEM) — For the past year and a half, Melissa Chevalier worked overtime, trying to keep her family safe from Covid.
“You know my heart was just kind of a little crushed, I was really hoping to avoid having the virus in our home,” Chevalier said.
Until last week, the Midland Public Schools parent was successful.
“It was like the most dreaded call, right? I mean it’s the one thing you don’t wanna hear especially during a pandemic is that, by the way, your child was exposed, and you know, could potentially be sick,” Chevalier said.
Her son Owen, who is in fourth grade, started showing symptoms on Friday; he’s doing ok so far.
Chevalier supports her district’s recent decision to require masks for kindergarten through sixth graders.
“You know, it’s sad there’s so much negativity and everything you know and trying to keep our community safe right?… But you know, it’s, it’s our reality, right?” Chevalier said.
Other parents are fiercely against any mask rules.
“We were told they were not gonna have to mask in class. And so, it was a little bit of a relief and then to have them change it on a Saturday night like that it, it really felt like you know going into round five,” said Will Zablocki, a Midland Public Schools parent.
Zablocki is the parent of four kids. He and Jacob Lewis, a fellow MPS parent, are helping organize a protest tomorrow against the mask mandate.
“And if you wanna wear a mask, wear a mask. If that’s what makes you feel safe. And if you think that’s gonna prevent it. Wear it. Do it. All day if you want. But don’t tell me that I have to and don’t tell me that I have to put one on my child,” Lewis said.
Superintendent Michael Sharrow declined to comment, instead referring to his weekly communique, which states a return to optional masking will come when the numbers improve.
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