By DEAN REA/correspondent/The Herald—The Lowell School Board passed a resolution Monday night requesting that the district be granted control over COVID-19 pandemic-related safety measures.
Citing a number of instances when masking and vaccine requirements imposed by Gov. Kate Brown and Oregon health authorities have unnecessarily ignored “local conditions,” the board unanimously passed the resolution, an issue that was raised during last month’s board meeting.
State-imposed guidelines have disrupted classroom instruction because of student and teacher absences, school officials reported.
Two hundred students are enrolled in junior and senior high, Principal Scott Yakovich said, and 189 are enrolled in kindergarten through sixth grade, said Principal Jessica Edgerton. Both figures are all-time highs.
Covid-19 regulations also have resulted in canceling and in rescheduling high school football and volleyball games, Yakovich said.
Among the issues cited in the board’s resolution: Masking and vaccinations, which the resolution states “present significant operational challenges for the district, including the potential loss of students and staff who oppose the mandates.”
The resolution concluded:
“Whereas, the operational challenges and potential staff shortages created by the masking and vaccination mandates may result in, among other impacts, an inability to operate a full-time, in-person, every school day during the 2021-2022 school year.
“Whereas, the board believes it is in the best interest of the district to retain local decision-making authority of the education of our children and pandemic-related safety measures based on conditions in the local community,
“Now, therefore, be it resolved, the educational needs of our students are put in jeopardy, the Lowell School Board requests the return of local control over pandemic-related safety measures to the district.”
Voting for the measure were Mike Galvin, board chairman, Dionne Plahn, Jason Prenevost and Jim Chapman. Suzanne Kintzley was absent.
Supt. Johnie Matthews, however, reminded board members during a previous meeting that the Lowell district would be penalized if it were to ignore rulings of the governor and health authorities.
Late month, the Adrian School Board in Eastern Oregon fired its superintendent, Kevin Purnell, because he obeyed the state’s masking mandate.
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