Mask supporters, opponents try to sway Norwin board on mandates

To mask or not to mask: That is the question before the Norwin School Board as some parents try to persuade officials to require masks when classes start next month and others passionately defend the freedom of families and students to make their own decisions.

The board will vote Monday on a state-required health and safety plan that will be submitted to the state Department of Education. The health and safety plan makes the wearing of masks optional among students.

A group of about a dozen parents Monday tried to sway board members to their side.

“There is no right answer,” school board President Brian Carlton said after the 90-minute meeting. Carlton will be impacted by the health and safety plan as the parent of a student and by the plan that Penn-Trafford adopts, as he teaches there.

Karyn Varley, mother of a Sunset Valley Elementary student, said she was concerned holding classes without mitigation efforts could result in the type of shut down of in-person instruction that occurred last year during the pandemic. Unvaccinated children 12 and younger will be sitting close to each other, she noted.

Amber Keefer said she is concerned young students will not be safe because they are not eligible to be vaccinated. Students might become ill, be forced to quarantine and would miss school.

“It’s downright irresponsible,” Keefer said.

Amy Ghetian, however, who has a son in sixth grade, asked the school board to let the families decide what is best for the children.

“Why can’t we all have the freedom to choose what is best for our children?” Ghetian asked. “Why would someone want to take my choice away?”

Laura Eberle-Csukas, who had one son graduate during the pandemic and has another still in high school, said parents have choices about wearing masks.

“We did not the past two years,” Eberle-Csukas said.

Dawn Lewandowski, who lost her bid for a nomination to the school board in the primary, said she supports the existing plan, which allows students who want to wear masks to do so.

The school board’s policy on masking was “extremely irresponsible” when the Centers for Disease Control recommends students wear masks, Brooke Roney said.

“Totally against mandated masking,” is how Richard Reagan described his opinion on the issue, saying his daughter was negatively impacted by masking requirements last school year.

Superintendent Jeff Taylor said he will provide families of students 12 and younger with a survey asking them whether they want their child in a classroom with other masked students or would prefer their child be in a class where students are not wearing a mask. Ideally, there will be a sufficient number on each side of the issue to have a class of masked students and a class of unmasked students in a grade, Taylor said.