Nearly a full year into the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to dominate meetings of the Humboldt school board.
On Monday night, two parents, Lane Sterling and Bobbie Haviland, expressed their displeasure with the district’s current policy.
That policy basically states that students in close proximity to a positive COVID-19 case must be quarantined, regardless of circumstance, say, whether or not they were wearing a mask during exposure.
However, the policy — which has been developed and approved by the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments — has led to a large number of physically absent students and sidelined athletes.
Certain parents, therefore, want the decision to quarantine their children to be left up to them.
Though it remained mostly undefined, a phrase frequently heard throughout the evening was “parental rights,” language parallel to that of “personal rights” often cited in debates against mask-wearing and other protective measures.
On the other side of the debate, concerns were raised that if the district adopted a policy at odds with the Health Department there might be legal liabilities to consider. And indeed, attorney Bob Johnson was on-hand to provide advice for the district.
Those board members who seemed to favor keeping the current policy also pointed to a recent poll that was given to parents and teachers.
Multiple questions were asked in the form of survey response and comments, but the result of a few specific ones stood out.
Of those parents surveyed, 61% said the current quarantine policy is reasonable, and only 49% said they’d feel comfortable sending their child to school if masks and other preventative measures became optional.
Of those teachers surveyed, 62% said the current quarantine policy is reasonable, and only 39% said they’d feel comfortable teaching in-person if masks and other measures became optional.
Given these numbers, superintendent Kay Lewis suggested the outcome was relatively clear, saying, “We surveyed them, and I think they spoke.”
Board member Tony Works agreed, and hinted he thought it was a bit reckless for a group of non-experts to overturn policy handed down by the health department. He also added that Health Department director Dr. Becky Watson looked “aghast” when he explained to her what was being proposed.
Despite the continuation of discussion throughout most of the meeting, along with two lengthy executive sessions, the board decided to table the issue without making a decision at this time.
In the interim, board members are looking at potential alternative quarantine procedures, such as those deployed by other school districts, and may meet again later this week to possibly vote on any changes.
In other news, Humboldt’s seniors got the green light to take their class trip to Branson, Mo., the week of March 22-26.
