Crook County School Board walks ‘narrow path’ amid upset parents, state mask mandate

Board chair says they will 'acknowledge' requirement - but that parents are free to not have their kids wear masks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Crook County School Board heard again Monday evening from numerous parents who don't want their children to have to wear masks in the classroom, despite the new state mandate. The board may navigate a fine line, "acknowledging" the mandate but saying parents have the option of not having their children wear masks.

As COVID-19 cases in Oregon surge and hospitals fill up, officials in Multnomah County, the state's most populous, announced on Monday they are reimplementing an indoor mask mandate. Bend city councilors and Mayor Sally Russell are urging Deschutes County commissioners to do the same thing, though two of three are reluctant to do so.

Throughout the summer, Crook County parents have voiced their opposition to masks requirements for students, some even calling Gov. Brown a "tyrannical despot."

And Monday evening's public comment section was no different.

Many parents became were upset with Crook County Schools Superintendent Dr. Sara Johnson for not saying a flat-out no to state mask mandates.

But School Board Chair Scott Cooper defended Johnson, saying it is her job to run the district, not interpret the Constitution as it relates to mandates.

Cooper says they are walking a vary narrow path of guidance, but every parent who spoke out Monday was not in favor of masks for students.

One parent, Matt Williams, called for everyone in the room to stand together against statewide recommendations and mandates.

"We have to stand together as one unifying voice that simply says 'no,'" Williams said. "No more masks, no more mandates, no more social distancing, no more shutdowns, no more two weeks to flatten the curve, no more vaccine mandates no more closed businesses, no more children being robbed of their future." 

One woman, Carrie Box, became quite emotional, even bursting into tears when she stood before board members.

Box says she adopted her 5-year-old granddaughter, and the child already suffers from many physical challenges, and does not want a mask to make things even worse.

"She just has a lot of challenges. She wears glasses that cover her entire eyes," Box said. "She is very imbalanced,  and she can't see. I will not have a mask be another challenge for her."  

And another parent, Jennifer Stephens, says enough is enough when it comes to mask mandates in the classroom.

"This is America -- we love our freedom," Stephens said. "And I want you to know something, the enemy has come and planted something evil in our school systems, you guys, and we've been asleep. And it's time to wake up -- we are the parents, we want change, we don't want our kids in masks." 

Following public comments, several school board members responded to parents, even agreeing with them on many points.

But board Vice Chair Doug Smith says simply saying no to the mask mandates could put thousands of students out of class, and leave district employees without a job.

"If we say no, we put 3,000 students potentially out of school," Smith said.

Cooper said he does not like Governor Kate Brown, and the situation with masks should be about choice.

"We need to acknowledge the mask mandate," Cooper said. "We also take very seriously the statement that we will not punish any child or exclude any child that doesn't choose or agree with the mask mandate."

Cooper says the district will not act like 'mask Nazis,' and urged parents to be smart.

"Listen to those words carefully, act accordingly: It's your child. Talk to your child, make a good decision, come to school in September and try your hardest -- with your mask somewhere on your person." 

Crook County Schools are slated to open for fall on Sept. 7.