SALISBURY – Education officials are looking to reschedule a monthly meeting of the Wicomico County Board of Education after attendees this week refused to follow masking requirements.
On Tuesday evening, following a 15-minute closed session, the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) was prepared to begin the public portion of its monthly meeting. Board members, however, voted to adjourn without going into open session after several community members, in attendance to share their concerns and protest the school system’s mask mandate, refused to follow masking and social distancing requirements.
“If you believe the decision of the student wearing a mask should be up to the parent, we need you at this meeting,” reads an online call to action posted on Facebook. “If you believe the decision of the teacher wearing a mask should be up to the teacher you need to be at this meeting. If you have a friend or family member in Wicomico County school system and you want these decisions to remain up to that person and not be mandated, you need to be at this meeting.”
In a statement issued Wednesday, Public Information Officer Tracy Sahler said it was not possible to hold the meeting while following state and school system health and safety guidelines for masking.
“Many of those who gathered in the lobby of 101 Long Avenue refused to abide by the Maryland state mask mandate for everyone in schools and school buildings, as approved by the Maryland State Board of Education and supported Tuesday by a state legislative committee,” she said. “The CDC recommendation for 6 feet of physical distancing was also not being observed, and it was not possible to safely hold the meeting.”
I was there and in the lobby. NO ONE was out of hand or disrespectful. We refused to comply because they were only going to allow 5 people to go into the auditorium at a time with a mask. We came as a group and expected to be heard as a group. Funny how WBOC or WMDT wasn’t anywhere around !! If you have any kids in Wicomico County schools or pay county taxes please be at Wicomico High School Monday night September 20th at 7 p.m. We are not there to cause trouble, I want my kids and others educated NOT brainwashed. Most of your county tax $$ goes to support the school system. Do you really know what you are paying for?
School boards all across the country are having the same issues. Wake up school boards, our you wont be on the board next time around!
Huh? The BOE canceled our kid’s classes and made them use Zoom. Is that not good enough for the BOE? Just make sure they forgo their daily wank when their cameras are turned on.
Its interesting that she want to keep students safe but she allowed the stands to be filled with groups of students on top of each other at a football game. Curious if students got COVID from that. That’ s not safe. I see also see board vehicles drive around town with many people in the vehicle but no one wearing masks. Guess the rule is only good for school buildings. Wonder how the football team all got covid were they wearing mask on the bus ride.
Canceled cause she was afraid.
Exactly, these kids don’t need to be in mask. Especially elementary school. Wise up BOE. Parents do your best to fight this mess. Have your own meeting. Stick together. And then demask your children. It’s your school’s, not theirs. They work for you.
Sad thing you all cant change a thing. Your barking up the wrong tree. Goto Annapolis. Your voice means nothing to her.
We need to just go in grab these idiots and throw them out. Screw the cops, they can’t stop ALL of us.
No, the police cannot throw all of you out, but they can indeed record you from multiple angles and then hunt you down once they have ascertained your identitiy. Suggesting violence as a solution to what you believe is a problem shows your juvenile intellect. Try this instead – organize voters to go to the polls and legally change the system. Otherwise you are just another loud mouth in the crowd.