Lowndes County School District Superintendent Sam Allison stepped to the podium of the central office board room Thursday evening prepared to discuss his recommendations for a “safe return to in-person instruction” for the fall semester.

Before him waited an agitated, standing-room-only crowd, some of which were holding signs that read, “Mask Choice,” “Masks Optional” or “Our Bodies, Our Choice.” Only four people in the room were wearing masks — board member Jacqueline Gray and three of the dozens of audience members.

Allison eased into the issue before answering the question on everyone’s mind.

“Basically, we want to be in school, and we want to be in school five days a week,” Allison began. “… There are no state guidelines or local ordinances requiring masks. We are going to encourage them, but it is going to be the choice of the parent.”

The audience met Allison’s statement with loud applause. The board ratified it with a 4-1 vote. Gray opposed.

But the meeting did not calm down, as dissatisfaction from the audience turned from the overall question of mask-wearing to concerns about the district’s approved quarantine guidelines and whether the board had tried to meet Thursday “in secret.”

Heckling from the audience grew so loud at one point, business manager Sayonia Garvin had to admonish the crowd so she could give the financial report. Ultimately, board members stayed an extra hour after the meeting adjourned to answer direct questions from the public, some of which resulted in heated exchanges.

Other schools in the region, including Columbus Municipal and Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated, are requiring masks at the start of school as COVID-19 numbers rise, vaccination rates statewide remain less than 40 percent and the emerging delta variant is proving more transmissible to children.

The policies
After voting on the safe return policy, board members unanimously approved health protocols for when students are exposed to or test positive for COVID-19.

Allison said the district will require mask wearing on buses and will “strongly encourage and have masks available” for unvaccinated students and staff in school buildings. Social distancing of three feet will be enforced inside school buildings, he said.

If there is an outbreak at a particular campus, Allison said masks may be required there until the case numbers decrease. The school district will follow any state or local mandates as well, he assured.

“We can debate mask wearing, but I don’t want to do that,” Allison said. “… We’re going to start the year with no requirement. Hopefully, we’ll continue to be safe and healthy.”

Vaccinated students who come in close contact with someone who tests positive do not have to quarantine unless they have symptoms.
Unvaccinated students who are exposed, however, must either quarantine for 10 days at home (where their school will assist them in continuing their studies), or if they want to remain at school they must take a negative rapid test every two days for 10 days.

This policy was met with some of the loudest criticism, from parents asking how they were supposed to juggle work with a quarantining child to a general berating of the board over vaccinated children not also having to quarantine or be tested if exposed.

Valerie Riley, who held the “Our Bodies, Our Choice” sign, said her children would neither receive the vaccine nor submit to a rapid test.

“I refuse to get something stuck up my child’s nose just so they can come back and be educated,” Riley told the board. “My kids should not pay the price for not being vaccinated.”

Meeting notice
Jesse Hebert and his mother, Linda Hebert, were among a dozen or so attendees upset the special-call meeting wasn’t more transparently noticed to the public.

Jesse said he had “insider information” the meeting was going to happen, and he organized a group of parents and patrons to attend.

“Y’all straight up hid this meeting from the public,” he told the board.

Allison said he and the board agreed to the special-call meeting on Monday because with case numbers rising he wanted a policy approved before school began, rather than waiting until the board’s next regular meeting. Local media outlets, including The Dispatch, received email notice on Wednesday afternoon.

Unlike regular meetings, for which the dates for the entire school year are published on the district’s website, Allison said special-calls are not typically noticed other than to the media.

Linda Hebert reminded the board that LCSD “isn’t a private school system,” which drew ire from board attorney Jeff Smith, who stood up at the board table and clapped back.

“These people are elected,” he said, adding board members only make $200 per month to serve. “If you’re having such a hard time, you should run.”

“I think that’s a dandy idea,” Linda replied.

Board member Wes Barrett, trying to calm the situation, agreed the district should begin posting all meeting dates, even special-calls, on the district website. He also encouraged the public to be involved as they were Thursday.

“But you’re saying to get involved, we have to run to replace you,” one audience member chimed in.

“I did not say that,” Barrett said.

‘Stand your ground’
Outside the central office after the meeting, Jesse Hebert circled the group he had organized around him and declared the battle over masks won — for now. He warned it may not stay that way.

“If they change it, stand your ground,” he yelled. “If we all show up to the school with our children and no masks, what the hell are they going to do?”

“And tell others. Bring your friends,” someone else from the group said.

If 300 or more showed up, they agreed, school officials couldn’t “kick them all out.”

Despite his misgivings about district transparency and continued calls for diligence, Jesse told The Dispatch he is happy with the board’s mask policy decision on Thursday.

“I am very thankful,” he said. “I think the board is doing the right thing.”

Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.