FRANCONIA — The administration is being directed to take action as soon as possible to adjust the district’s policy on COVID-related quarantining requirements, Souderton Area School Board President Ken Keith said at the board’s Jan. 27 meeting.
“Simply put and in light of what we have learned, I see no reason why the vaccination status of the child should cause them to be treated differently as it relates to quarantining,” Keith said.
Under a January 14 posting on the district website, vaccinated students who came in close contact to a person that tested positive for COVID-19 and were not showing symptoms could remain in school while wearing a mask for 10 days after the exposure; unvaccinated students who had in-school or community exposure had the option of remaining in school and wearing a mask for 10 days, along with getting tested at school between days four and six after the exposure, or of quarantining for a period of time before returning to school. Unvaccinated students or staff with exposure within their home were required to quarantine.
In his comments leading up to the announcement, Keith said the past couple years have not been simple.
“It’s been stressful. It’s been crazy. It’s been changing. It’s been unnerving,” he said.
A lot has also been learned, however, since the start of the pandemic, he said.
“We’ve gathered a lot of data, we’ve battle tested theories and I think we’re starting hopefully to come out the other side in a little better direction,” Keith said.
“With that being said, we need to continue to evolve,” he said. “We’re here to teach kids. Our mission as a board in large part is to keep kids in school. That’s never been a secret.”
With the development of vaccines and clinics for people to be vaccinated, including ones hosted by the district, people who chose to get vaccinated have had the opportunity, but SASD has not mandated that students and staff be vaccinated, he said.
“In our eyes, that is your right to choose as much as our board members have the right to choose on the very same topic,” Keith said.
Evidence shows that both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons can be infected by and spread the virus, he said.
The rate of COVID cases is also currently dropping, he said.
“We’ve been steadfast in staying to our mission of keeping kids in school,” he said. “That will not change.”
Later during the public comment period of the meeting, some members held up signs in apparent response to signs held up by protesters at the board’s Jan. 12 Finance Committee meeting.
The Jan. 12 signs included messages such as “Unmask our kids, teachers and staff.”
The district policy recommends masks be worn in school, but makes it optional. With a surge in the number of COVID cases at the time, however, the district said masks were required for the first two weeks after classes resumed Jan. 3 after winter break. The mask optional policy has since returned.
The Jan. 27 signs included “Double standards,” “Disinformation kills people COVID is Airborne,” and one saying the sign violates district policy “sometimes.”
Audience members are not allowed to have signs at board meetings, Assistant Superintendent and Director of Human Resources Christopher Hey said at the Jan. 27 meeting.
A district police officer said the signs were both a violation of district policy and disruption of a public meeting.
The sign bearers, one of whom protested that it was “unequal treatment,” were told that it was a mistake that the Jan. 12 signs were allowed to remain during that meeting and that those with signs at the Jan. 27 meeting could lower the signs and remain in the meeting or leave the meeting.
At least one left, while another removed the signs and remained at the meeting.
During the public comment, the board again heard from persons opposed to COVID-related mandates.
Resident Kaitlin Derstine said the mandates have led to increased mental health issues, including suicide.
There is “zero evidence that masking works,” she said.
“It is time we man up and protect our kids and let kids be kids again. This needs to end. We want normal. We don’t want a new normal. We want normal normal,” Derstine said.
Resident Jay Shisler called it a “disastrous situation.”
“Some real answers can be found by following the money trail,” he said.
“Big pharm has made billions. Many large corporations have made billions. Many politicians have made millions and are laughing all the way to the bank and thinking that they are getting away with this by representing the people and thinking we are absolutely stupid enough to believe their nonsense,” he said, “and, of course, they are correct if we do believe their nonsense.”
Common sense says not to respect those who are constantly changing their recommendations without having science to back it up, he said.
The country was founded on biblical principles, he said.
“We need to put God back in our schools, back in our country, prayer back in our country,” Shisler said. “United we stand, divided we fall.”
In a separate matter at the meeting, seven district students were recognized for being National Merit Scholarship commended students. The seven are Kaivalya Bhatt, Owen Funk, Carter Hancock, Eduardo Lai, Ian Martin, Carolyn Mowery and Ty Platow.
“Quite an impressive group,” Hey said before the commended students, all seniors, listed school organizations to which they belong and their plans for college.
Although commended students do not continue on in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, some become candidates for other special scholarships, according to National Merit Scholarship information.
“You guys are awesome. You’re incredible. You’re what makes everybody in this room proud to be a part of Souderton and this community,” Keith told the students.
“Thank you for working hard. Thank you for being the best and the brightest,” he said. “You’re incredible people. You’re gonna be great leaders.”
