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Rutherford County Schools approves 30-day mask requirement





Universal mask mandate advocates Jessica Robertson (left), Krista Turkell (middle) and Brent Snowden (right) stand outside the Rutherford County School Board meeting entrance prior to the specially called meeting about mask policy on Tuesday, Sept. 7. TAYLA COURAGE

Universal mask mandate advocates Jessica Robertson (left), Krista Turkell (middle) and Brent Snowden (right) stand outside the Rutherford County School Board meeting entrance prior to the specially called meeting about mask policy on Tuesday, Sept. 7. TAYLA COURAGE

The Rutherford County School Board voted 5 to 2 last Thursday to implement a 30-day mask requirement for all students, staff and visitors on school campus grounds and the district’s central office to begin Monday, Sept. 13.

New Vice-Chair Shelia Bratton made the motion to approve the temporary requirement that will remain in effect until Thursday, Oct. 14. All RCS parents will have the ability to formally opt their children out of the board’s policy per Gov. Bill Lee’s executive order.

This decision comes out just two days after the board waded through comments from 36 students, parents and healthcare professionals who stand on both sides of the debate when it comes to requiring students to wear masks on campus. The board also heard from a few visitors on Thursday night, who wanted to continue the mask conversation before a vote took place.

An opt-out form has been made available on the district’s website. As of 8:30 a.m. Monday morning, only 4,554 of the district’s 49,039 students have selected to use this option, according to an email from RCS Communications Director James Evans. 

Children hold up signs protesting against universal mask mandates in schools outside of the Rutherford County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 7. The girls' parents declined to provide first and last names.TAYLA COURAGE

Children hold up signs protesting against universal mask mandates in schools outside of the Rutherford County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 7. The girls’ parents declined to provide first and last names.TAYLA COURAGE

Bratton specified that the policy has the potential to automatically terminate before the 30-day period is complete should the county’s COVID-19 positivity rate reaches 10% or lower for three consecutive weeks.

The policy may be automatically reinstated if the county’s positive rate rises to 15% or higher.

Bratton’s third stipulation said that any masked students who come into contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus will not have to quarantine unless the individual begins to experience symptoms. 

In her motion, Bratton said she had considered the requests for specific metrics made by new Chairwoman Tiffany Johnson on Tuesday night as well as the 10% positivity rate as a county benchmark suggested by Health and  Homebound Services Supervisor Sarah Winters. 

 

The approved policy will be reviewed again at the board’s next meeting on Oct. 14, the date the original policy is set to expire.

Anna and Caleb (not pictured) Tidwell took turns holding their “No Mask Mandate” poster that shows a packed stadium full of fans at an Auburn University football game and a young boy being masked up inside a school classroom. TAYLA COURAGE

Anna and Caleb (not pictured) Tidwell took turns holding their “No Mask Mandate” poster that shows a packed stadium full of fans at an Auburn University football game and a young boy being masked up inside a school classroom. TAYLA COURAGE

Board member Claire Maxwell seconded Bratton’s motion, stating that the temporary policy in hopes that it will allow students to continuing learning in the classroom.

“It’s going to keep us from sending our kids home, and if they’re not feeling sick, and they’re not showing nay symptoms, and they’ve got a mask on, they can stay at school, and that’s the most important thing on both side,” said Maxwell.

During the school week leading up to Labor Day, 90 staff members and 1,022 students tested positive with 556 staff members required to quarantine. The total number of students who were required to quarantine for at least one day amounts to 10,197.

Board members Lisa Moore, who joined the meeting virtually, and Tammy Sharp were the only members to vote “no.”

The results of the vote caught the attention of Rutherford Students First, a parents group focused on maintaining parents choice in relation to mask use in schools. Co-Founder Chris Littleton reached out to the board, Director Bill Spurlock and RCS Staff Attorney Sara Page on Friday, Sept. 10 to notify them that the approved policy had not been included within the night’s agenda. 

Melanie Tatum (right), the mother of an Eagleville student, pulls out her “Parent Choice” poster before the start of the school board meeting last Tuesday night. “Maskless gatherings are happening all throughout our community everywhere, but you want to potentially force my child to sit in school all day with her face covered?” Tatum asked the board. “This is not normal. You are not the parent. You do not know what’s best for my children.”TAYLA COURAGE

Melanie Tatum (right), the mother of an Eagleville student, pulls out her “Parent Choice” poster before the start of the school board meeting last Tuesday night. “Maskless gatherings are happening all throughout our community everywhere, but you want to potentially force my child to sit in school all day with her face covered?” Tatum asked the board. “This is not normal. You are not the parent. You do not know what’s best for my children.”TAYLA COURAGE

“RSF is not going away, and we are tasked with holding the Board accountable to parents with students in RCS. You may pass all kinds of policies we don’t like, but like any government entity, you are still required to follow a defined process,” wrote Littleton, who’s group is requesting more “transparency” between the board and parents.  

In his email, he included an excerpt from the Rutherford Board of Education’s policy, which notes that any policy change should be submitted by the Policy Advisory Committee or Spurlock through the board within the agenda.  

He also filed a public records request for documentation that the policy procedures were followed as written. Page replied with a records denial form on the grounds that there are no such records found. 

Health and Homebound Services Supervisor Sarah Winters holds a graph showing the gradual rise of COVID-19 cases in the Rutherford County Schools from the first few days of the school year. She said the numbers have made somewhat of a decline since student and staff quarantines have come into play.TAYLA COURAGE

Health and Homebound Services Supervisor Sarah Winters holds a graph showing the gradual rise of COVID-19 cases in the Rutherford County Schools from the first few days of the school year. She said the numbers have made somewhat of a decline since student and staff quarantines have come into play.TAYLA COURAGE

Evans clarified to the Murfreesboro Post that there was no need for an additional vote on the policy.

High school student Reeyan Ahmed (center) wears a “Masks Are The Answer” T-shirt to the special called Rutherford County School Board meeting last Tuesday. Ahmed had previously addressed the board asking for a reinstatement of the mask mandate to protect other students from contracting Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, that he suffers from as a result of contracting COVID-19. TAYLA COURAGE

High school student Reeyan Ahmed (center) wears a “Masks Are The Answer” T-shirt to the special called Rutherford County School Board meeting last Tuesday. Ahmed had previously addressed the board asking for a reinstatement of the mask mandate to protect other students from contracting Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, that he suffers from as a result of contracting COVID-19. TAYLA COURAGE

Parent and co-founder of Rutherford Students First Chris Littleton urged Rutherford County school board members to avoid making a “knee-jerk reaction” about mask wearing based on the complaints from both sides. He suggested allowing parents, teachers and board members to work collaboratively to come up with a solution that will allow students to continue learning in their classrooms. One idea he provided were “bubble schools” in which students would be separated into mask and non-masked groups.TAYLA COURAGE

Parent and co-founder of Rutherford Students First Chris Littleton urged Rutherford County school board members to avoid making a “knee-jerk reaction” about mask wearing based on the complaints from both sides. He suggested allowing parents, teachers and board members to work collaboratively to come up with a solution that will allow students to continue learning in their classrooms. One idea he provided were “bubble schools” in which students would be separated into mask and non-masked groups.TAYLA COURAGE

Sam Buckalew holds his “Vote Yes. Universal Masking Now!” poster after speaking at the packed Rutherford County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8.  Several parents, students and community members watched the meeting from the school board lobby television and pressed their own protest signs against the windows.TAYLA COURAGE

Sam Buckalew holds his “Vote Yes. Universal Masking Now!” poster after speaking at the packed Rutherford County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8.  Several parents, students and community members watched the meeting from the school board lobby television and pressed their own protest signs against the windows.TAYLA COURAGE

Pastor Robert C. Brooks Jr. said the Rutherford County School Board can expect to receive child support papers if his daughter, who he said has autism, is forced to wear a mask to school. “If you today make that choice for me, I will make sure that I send you paper work, and you will make the choice to pay me child support,” said Brooks.TAYLA COURAGE

Pastor Robert C. Brooks Jr. said the Rutherford County School Board can expect to receive child support papers if his daughter, who he said has autism, is forced to wear a mask to school. “If you today make that choice for me, I will make sure that I send you paper work, and you will make the choice to pay me child support,” said Brooks.TAYLA COURAGE

Lisa Adair said she threw out everything that she was going to say about masks when she approached the podium at the special called Rutherford County School board meeting last Tuesday, feeling a willingness to hear from parents on the other side of the issue. “Here’s the thing, our house is on fire,” said Adair. She said that the masks are worn to protect others from germs and not vice versa. “We need to fight the fire now. We have to.”TAYLA COURAGE

Lisa Adair said she threw out everything that she was going to say about masks when she approached the podium at the special called Rutherford County School board meeting last Tuesday, feeling a willingness to hear from parents on the other side of the issue. “Here’s the thing, our house is on fire,” said Adair. She said that the masks are worn to protect others from germs and not vice versa. “We need to fight the fire now. We have to.”TAYLA COURAGE

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