NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- Some parents derailed the New Albany-Floyd County School Board meeting over a masking policy on Monday, forcing the board to briefly stop its meeting and leave the room.
Many parents said they wanted a choice on whether or not their kid has to mask up, which caused some emotions to boil over.
The school district is following Indiana's color-coded COVID-19 map data. Right now, Floyd County is in the yellow, which means the district will strongly recommend masks. If the county enters the orange, then a mask will be required for all NAFCS staff and students.
Before the meeting, Jim Leinen joined dozens of parents who were standing outside the administration building with signs against masking. The father of two elementary students said his children do not like wearing masks and wanted them to be optional.
"If you feel comfortable with your child in a mask, or two masks, or ten masks and a face shield or a hazmat suit, more power to you," he said. "But at the other end of that, you should also respect my choice to not have my children in mask."
"Forcing masks is child abuse," parent Mary Brewer told the board.
After the board returned from their break, board member Rebecca Gardenour sympathized with the parents who opposed universal masking.
"I agree with everything you say. I really do," said Gardenour. "But when it comes down to sitting here, it's these 11,400 children that I have to worry about."
Although the majority of those at the meeting were against masks, some parents support the measure and hope it will help children learn in-person for as long as possible.
"I really want to make sure that those of us that are for masks have an opportunity to have our voices heard as well," said parent Carrie Klaus. "That's what's most frustrating is that we can't just come together, cooperate, and do what we need to do to move forward."
The school district said the state typically updates its numbers each Wednesday. School officials will then adjust the mask policy as necessary.
To read the Superintendent's message to families about the masking protocols, click here.
Related Stories:
- New Albany Floyd County Schools 'strongly recommends' masks for unvaccinated students, staff
- Decision on masks rests with New Albany-Floyd County School Board
- Floyd County Health Department reverts mask decision for students sixth grade or younger
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