American Business
Northampton school district mask mandate update
Northampton PA – Mask mandates were a hot topic at the Northampton school board meeting as many of the meeting participants spoke against kids being forced to wear masks.
According to their website, they have decided to stick to mandatory mask mandates in the school system depending on the state mandates. Keeping masks mandatory or optional has three conditions.
- A high substantial or high increase in the positive Covid-19 case counts on a building by building basis
- There is evidence of a substantial or high school community spread across multiple school buildings
- Northampton County has substantial or high Covid-19 transmission levels
Changes in the district’s mandates can change at any time depending on state or local face-covering orders. Disposable masks will be offered to anyone who does not have one.
It was voted to go from the previous two meetings to now only 1 meeting a month, they were asked three times by three different people why go down to only 1 meeting a month only to be given the silent treatment.
We sent an Email to the new president James Chuss who was just voted in for comment on Wednesday but we never received a response. If you are a parent who goes to the meetings and wants some answers here is his email address [email protected]
We asked for statements from the public, here is one we received
“So some of us do have personal connections, however … There are multiple groups represented in the school group now and we don’t all have personal connections you might get a better response that’s all… As far as the switch to one meeting a month I find it upsetting that the board voted to go this route, first off it will limit the number of times parents and students have the opportunity to address the board with school issues. Not only this but it now creates an entire month gap between real issues within the school being addressed in public. It has also sent a pretty clear message that the board would rather not hear from the parents and students, at least the six board members that voted to pass the change! With all that being said, it shows a lack of transparency to already suspicious parents and taxpayers. Parent input into board decisions has been limited which is not the way this country or education system is supposed to be run.
Candidate for Pennsylvania Govorner Shawn Berger did speak at this meeting stating he will end all mandates.
