Masking Discussion Continues at Chardon BOE
New Chardon Schools Board of Education members CJ Paterniti and Todd Albright were sworn into office Jan. 10 at an organizational session held prior to the regular meeting.
New Chardon Schools Board of Education members CJ Paterniti and Todd Albright were sworn into office Jan. 10 at an organizational session held prior to the regular meeting.
Veteran board member Karen Blankenship was named president of the board after a unanimous vote. Keith Brewster will serve as vice president and the district’s delegate and liaison to the Ohio School Boards Association.
Albright jumped into the regular meeting with both feet, volunteering for several positions. He will serve as the district’s alternate delegate and liaison to OSBA.
Paterniti will serve as student/staff liaison, while Blankenship will continue to serve as liaison to the Chardon Schools Foundation.
Near the end of the regular meeting, board member Guy Wilson proposed an item of new business: to rescind the board’s December 2021 resolution making student mask-wearing optional, effective Jan. 18. Wilson asked the board to consider extending the mask mandate until the U.S. Centers for Disease Control or the Ohio Department of Health deem it appropriate to recommend their optional use.
Wilson said when the board voted to make masks optional, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 currently overwhelming Ohio hospitals was just appearing.
“So I think for the time being, for the health and safety our students and the community, and to help our healthcare professionals because they are struggling — they are struggling out there — I think we need to at least try and do something along those lines in support of our community,” Wilson said.
Albright responded by acknowledging masking is a very contentious issue.
“I personally believe it should be left to the decision of the parents because healthcare in this area has always been overtaxed,” he said. “Literally always.”
Albright said a report to the board showed fewer than 2% of people would be affected by COVID.
“I know that that’s — don’t take that as I don’t care, but there are kids with rashes on their faces,” he said. “I think it should be parent choice, personally.”
Paterniti said since he began his campaign for the board, he has been clear that he feels the choice should be left to parents, adding his first-grader is ahead of his two third-grade children because the older children have not been able to learn as they normally would through social interaction.
Additionally, Paterniti said young children are being policed over mask-wearing and many of them are still wearing their masks incorrectly.
“The parents aren’t there to police that, I get that, but it’s such a sensitive subject,” he said.
Blankenship lamented what she feels is a lack of direction from state and national health experts.
“I’m not a doctor, I am not qualified to make these health decisions. I understand that we have been put in this position again. I really wish that the governor, the CDC or the (Geauga Public Health) department — I mean I even went to the county meeting and stood up and said, ‘You guys need to make these decisions. You’re the health experts, I’m not,’” she said.
The motion failed 3-2, with Albright, Blankenship and Paterniti voting against extending the mask mandate.
On Dec. 29, Gov. Mike DeWine said in a press conference he was not prepared to issue a statewide mask mandate and did not believe he has the power to do so after the state legislature stripped him of some emergency powers last year. However, he asked local school leaders to take action.
“Superintendents, school boards, school administrators, please consider putting a mask mandate on if you don’t already have it on. At least for a few weeks while we are at this great, great, great surge,” DeWine said.
The governor referenced a letter sent Dec. 28 to all Ohio school boards by the Ohio Hospital Association and the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association asking local school leaders to strongly consider a mask mandate for the duration of the Omicron surge.
“We know that the virus that causes COVID-19 is spread when you cough, sneeze, talk or sing. We know that masks work and are effective at slowing the spread of this virus. The best way to keep kids in school is to slow the spread of the virus. The best ways to slow the spread of the virus are to get vaccinated and wear a mask,” the letter said.
The hospital associations said Omicron has made masking more urgent and even asymptomatic children can spread the virus to family members who may be unvaccinated or otherwise at risk.
On Dec. 29, GPH issued new guidance to schools stating while not ideal, school boards are opting to modify their plans regarding masking. GPH suggested schools not experiencing an active outbreak should use previously outlined prevention strategies.
In addition, GPH said students may continue to attend school after being in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID if they are vigilant about mask wearing for the 10 days following exposure. If the student or parent feels the mask wearing cannot be done reliably, then they should remain at home, GPH said.
Superintendent Michael Hanlon said the new guidance should help keep kids in school and lead to fewer building closures.
Cases, while higher than at the same point last year, are on a downward trend, he added.
As of Jan. 11, data from the ODH shows since Dec. 1, the state has recorded 644 cases in those under age 19, and no Geauga County children have been hospitalized with COVID since November 2021. A total of 13 residents under age 19 have been hospitalized with the disease since July 2020 and none have died.
