GEORGETOWN, Del. - The Indian River Board of Education is pushing back against the state’s decision to mandate masks in schools. On Monday night, the board voted “no confidence” in the Governor’s decision. It was 9 to 1. Schools in the district must still follow the governor's mandate.
The school board meeting was held inside the Sussex Central High School football stadium. Board member Donald Hattier said 95 percent of people who showed up were against the mandate. The board also discussed filing a petition asking the governor to reverse this decision.
Masking in schools has been a hot topic across the state, with opponents saying the decision should be up to the parents.
“Everybody was pretty much on the parents' choice. It's not that they were anti-mask, it's the fact that they were mandated by the government,” said Hattier.
Cheers erupted after the school board voted "no confidence" in the governor's mandate.
“We are simply telling them ‘I don't believe what you're saying, I can't do anything about it, but I just want you to know that I think you're wrong and we think you're not doing the right things,’” said Hattier.
He said everyone who wanted to speak, was given the chance to do so before the vote.
"So when we say we know what's best for our children please know this has nothing to do with politics, but has everything to do with the health and emotional well being of our children,” said Kristen Cordrey, a member of We the Parents for Sussex County, who spoke at the meeting.
WRDE reached out to the Delaware Department of Education, but they declined to comment.
After announcing the school mask mandate earlier this month, the governor said a "consistent, statewide approach will help students, educators and staff return to school safely and without disruption."
“If you take the safest group, which is the kids, and block their immune systems from working at all, what have you done? You have not allowed them to adapt to anything. In this case this mask thing could go on forever,” said Hattier.
With this decision the district still must follow the governor's order, but parents appreciate the effort.
WRDE also asked Governor Carney’s team about the vote of no confidence in his mask mandate. A spokesperson for the governor said no comment.
