School trustees split over decision for 'Highly Recommended' face coverings

by Nancy C. Butler

In a special meeting Monday evening, Joint School District #171 trustees split over a decision to have face coverings be 'Highly Recommended' rather than mandatory in school facilities.

Trustee Chris St. Germaine made the motion for 'Highly Recommended' face coverings unless 2% of the school population tests positive for COVID-19 or 25% of the school population is out. Then the school will be closed. St. Germaine, Christine Erbst and Greg Gerot voted 'aye' while Angie Pomponio and Dr. Charity Robinson voted 'nay'.

Earlier in the meeting, the location had to be changed because the large audience exceeded the fire safety capacity of the Orofino Elementary School Library. The meeting was moved to the gym which took some time to get the people and telecommunications equipment set up.

During public comment, parents, students, grandmothers and community members expressed concerns about the damage they felt masks did to children's physical and mental health, as well as the educational challenges they observe in such areas as speech and reading when students either could not hear or see the way words were pronounced due to masks. There was also concern about social cues that are missed with masking.

Following public input, trustees expressed their thoughts about the matter. Then the motion was made and voted upon.

The special meeting was held because there was an infraction in the way the face coverings issue was voted on in the Sept. 20 meeting when the decision was made for mandatory masking. The item was on the agenda for discussion, but not as an action item. When Robinson added it to the agenda for a vote, she failed to make a statement that it was an 'emergency' she explained at the meeting Monday. In addition to making a decision to have face coverings be 'Highly Recommended', the trustees also followed the procedure to recognize and remedy that infraction.