Geneva D-304 parents criticize board for its vote to mandate masks

Meek: ’I will tell you, I have every confidence in the vote that I passed’

GENEVA – Several parents criticized the Geneva District 304 school board at its meeting Aug. 23 regarding its mask mandate, prompting some board members to defend their votes.

One parent, Stephanie Bellino, thanked the district for its mask mandate. But others, such as Patti Hodge, praised 51 other school districts in Illinois whose boards voted against Gov. JB Pritzker’s universal mask mandate for preschool through high school.

“These infringements on our freedom are probably going to continue,” Hodge said. “If you don’t stand up for what you believe, if you don’t stand up for our choices – choices and freedoms – your government is going to remove the life that currently you are enjoying in your homes and in your offices.”

Parent Chrissi Bretz told the board it was not legally required to follow Pritzker’s mandate, citing 51 Illinois districts whose boards voted to make masks optional.

“And I applaud them,” Bretz said.

Others claimed wearing masks did nothing to stop the coronavirus or that children cannot pass the virus.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, wearing a face covering is “one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus. Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets, which spread COVID-19, from reaching others.”

Also according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, reported cases in children ages 5 to 11 averaged 1,056 new cases a week from June 2020 through June 2021.

For children ages 12 to 17, they averaged 1,587 new cases a week during the same time period, according to state data.

During school board members’ comments, some fired back.

“I have voted to put masks on kids when it was my choice,” board member Larry Cabeen said. “I have done so because I sincerely believe it is the right thing to do. I don’t believe in cherry-picked data. I believe the science overall. If you feel strongly that masks don’t work, please ask your doctor not to wear one next time he operates on you.”

Board member Tammie Meek also defended her vote for the mask mandate, specifically to a parent who questioned the board’s apparent unanimity on its votes.

“I am very happy to stand and be counted. I know there was some concern expressed this evening about the unanimity of some of our votes,” Meek said. “I will tell you, I have every confidence in the vote that I passed. I am one of your new board members. Everyone will get a chance in a couple of years to decide how they feel about the choices I made on behalf of protecting our entire community. And I am more than happy to stand and be counted for that.”

Meek said she appreciated everyone’s viewpoints shared at the meeting.

“And I firmly stand behind my vote, nonetheless,” Meek said. “We, as a Geneva 304 community, are all enriched for that engagement and everyone contributing.”

Board member Alecia Sexton thanked the audience for listening to their comments.

“Our board members have to sit up here and listen to every single public comment and not make one sound,” Sexton said. “We are asking for the same courtesy of everyone in this room when it’s our turn to speak and thank you for listening to us.”

Board President Taylor Egan said the district’s COVID-19 dashboard numbers as of Aug. 20 were encouraging.

“Hopefully, that trend will stay along the same line. I do believe the decisions that have been made, the work that has been done at this table and behind the scenes, have really put our students and staff in a good position to maintain in-person learning,” Egan said.

“And that is, I hope, a shared goal for every single person in this room is to keep our kids in front of their teachers and with their friends in a classroom,” Egan said. “Everyone who has a kid knows it has not been an easy 18 months.”

Egan urged parents to think about the advantages of being able to continue in-person learning versus being behind a computer screen.

“I think that mental impact is so much greater,” Egan said.