Dexter schools make decision on masks

When it comes to masks as a preventative measure in the spread of COVID-19, Dexter Community Schools has decided to follow the Washtenaw County Health Department’s requirements for the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year.

So come March 1, mask use will be recommended, but not required inside Dexter school buildings.

At a special meeting on Feb. 16, the DCS school board approved a motion that stated the Board of Education determines “that Dexter Community Schools will follow the WCHD requirements for the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year. If the WCHD orders universal masking, DCS will require universal masking. If the WCHD recommends masking, DCS will recommend masking but will not require universal masking.”

This meeting was held inside Mill Creek Middle School’s cafeteria rather than inside the typical meeting room at Bates School. The change in venue allowed more public participation.

Many spoke against a mask requirement with some saying there should be the option of wearing a mask or not. There were also some who spoke in favor of the protection the masks provide.

There was at least two hours of public comment.

One who spoke for continued masking at this point was Dexter parent Tanya Tassin, who began by saying the data she is seeing says the Dexter area is still in a high risk level. She then cited the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC both still recommending universal masking indoors regardless of vaccination status while the county plan still recommends mask for in schools.

She said it was DCS’s plan to maintain universal masking until things were at a moderate and low level, so the schools should adhere to that plan.

Tassin said she also supports universal masking because attending school is not a choice.

“And because it’s not a choice that if a family out there is out there living their best pre-pandemic 2019 life, going everywhere and doing everything unmasked and quite possibly unvaccinated, my student will be subjected to all of the risky choices that student or family has chosen to participate in,” she said.

Tassin said, “Some proclaim that providing choice is a win-win situation. This is a joke. My family can choose whether or not to participate in activities outside of school where people will be unmasked, but no amount of one-sided masking can completely mitigate that risk in school. That’s not how masking works. You get some protection, but after a certain amount of time there’s only so much a mask can do for the wearer when the others present aren’t wearing one. I don’t want my student to assume the risks that another student or family has chosen. It’s not fair.”

Saying preschoolers are still not eligible for vaccination, that there are immunocompromised students and family members, as well as students dealing with long COVID or who have lost family members because of it, she said the selfishness and concern for personal choices over community well being is astonishing and certainly does not model kindness and empathy.

“All means all until it becomes inconvenient for some, I guess,” she said.

Another parent who spoke and who has at previous board meetings about making mask wearing optional was Holly Cabana, who said it’s her view that those in school that still want to wear a mask can, but for those who are concerned about all of the negative effects of masks “our kids should now finally have the choice.”

“This doesn’t mean we are horrible shallow people who don’t care about others,” said Cabana. “I believe that giving money to my church is a duty and a responsibility that also benefits others, but that doesn’t mean that it should be a mandate for you and I don’t judge you for your choice.”

She said after two years of this COVID mess we now know more. She cited how the county health department is lifting its mask mandate and how the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has also withdrawn its masking policy for school settings.

She said Dexter should do the same.

“In the past two years, if we have learned anything it should be to not take anything for granted,” she said to the board. “Our kids have lost so much. Sports, drama productions, music events, school dances, graduation ceremonies, trust of authorities, their education has been turned upside down. Their daily lives a question mark. These kids deserve the freedom to choose to wear a mask or not. Give them back control. It starts tonight with you the board.”

Turning to the other meeting attendees, she went on to say, “To the adults in this room, we grew up in the 80s, so this is my simple analogy. Our community of Dexter is like the town featured in the beloved 1984 movie, Footloose. Like Kevin Bacon’s character said, there was a time for that law, but not anymore. It’s time for us to dance and to celebrate life. It’s time for our kids to break free and see each other’s smiles again. It’s time for young children’s speech patterns to have the chance to develop properly. It’s time for kids with hearing loss to be able to read lips. It’s time for the depression and suicide rates to go back down. It’s time for us to not allow COVID to take away our freedoms, but to learn to live in, and these are the words of the MDHHS, to learn to live in this post-surge, recovery phase. It’s time for our kids to have the choice of whether or not they want to wear a mask to school. As for me and my house, we do our best to overcome fear and according to the good book we will do it with unveiled faces. Our kids should be allowed to celebrate life and have the choice to breathe freely. Thank you.”

In lead up to the decision, school board president Mara Greatorex gave some background on what led to the decision.

“On Friday, February 11, 2022, the Washtenaw County Health Department announced they were removing the universal masking order and their order regarding isolation and quarantine starting February 28th,” she said. “This action gives the DCS Board of Education the responsibility to make a decision regarding how to move forward after February 28th. Following admin team discussion, the Superintendent’s recommendation is that Dexter Community Schools will follow the WCHD requirements for the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year.”

Here is some of the update from the county health department:

“Washtenaw County Health Department will lift its remaining COVID-19 health orders in K-12 educational settings effective Feb 28. This includes two orders, one requiring masks, and another for isolation and quarantine.

Since these orders were issued, pandemic conditions have changed considerably. Universal masking remains strongly recommended in K-12 educational settings and provides an additional layer of protection, especially when high-quality masks are used consistently in indoor settings. Current orders remain in effect until February 28, 2022.

Students who test positive or are exposed as close contacts will continue to be excluded from school under the Michigan Public Health Code and existing administrative rules.

The orders were issued in September 2021 and prior to the omicron variant. While they were set to remain in place based on CDC COVID Data Tracker of "substantial" or "high," conditions have changed enough to warrant rescinding them. Local COVID-19 vaccination rates among school-age children are the highest in the state. Layering protective strategies remains critical to maintaining in-person learning and protecting health. Masking, which continues to be recommended, is only one of multiple strategies available.”