Mask mandate quashed by H-M-S board after no vote

Members of the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn school board could not reach consensus on a district facemask mandate or how it would be implemented during a meeting on Nov. 5.

Board Member David Vander Broek made a motion to require grades 5-12 to wear masks during school hours whenever social distancing could not be achieved. No other board member seconded the motion, so it was not brought to a vote.

Board Vice President Scott Vollink asked if the mandate would apply to activities outside the school day and to non-school sponsored activities held in district facilities.

"I could support [a mandate], but what is the point if it's only during the school day," Vollink said. "We will have to have someone to police that."

Board President Scott Heetland said he called the meeting due to his concerns about contact tracing.

"It's a stretch to know what is right or wrong, or what we should do or not do," he said. "If parents want [a mandate], why don't they have their kids wear them?"

Superintendent Patrick Carlin said the district has worked hard to achieve social distancing, but there are some areas where that cannot occur.

"[The mandate] reflects when we would not able to social distance," he said. "That is the way most districts are operating."

Illness mitigation strategies included in H-M-S's return to learn plan include staying six feet away from others as much as possible, frequent handwashing and "optional use of face coverings when able to do so safely and correctly."

During discussion, Vander Broek shared statistics showing there have been 11,000 cases of COVID-19 among Iowa youth under age 18, which represents 9 percent of all cases.

"The best way to slow its spread is wearing a mask," he said. "The latest guidance from O'Brien County Public Health asks that all schools should require masks when students do not have a medical condition."

Expressing his opposition to a face covering mandate, Board Member Ryan Haack said that parents of students in the district "strongly support" the current policy of optional mask wearing. He also questioned the rationale for a mandate.

"This is not about the health and safety of our students. It's about meeting a guideline," he said. "That is an important distinction to make."

Two district patrons addressed the board on the matter.

Dr. Mark Schulz, of Hartley, spoke in favor of a facemask mandate.

"We have this great big facility and they can't use it because they have to stay home in quarantine," he said. "The public health people are not trying to disenfranchise our students."

While not expressing a preference, Chris Dodd, of Hartley, said he wants to make sure the school doesn't close, and that everyone is safe.

"I challenge you that if you do a district-wide make mandate, it must be done right," he said.