By Tim Troglen
Feelings are still strong and caustic more than two weeks after parents and school officials verbally clashed at an Aug. 30. board meeting.
On Aug. 19, a meeting was scheduled to discuss mandate mask wearing in schools by students, staffers and visitors.
And both sides were still just as adamant about their reasoning and the email survey, seemingly crucial in the vote.
Aug. 30, began with what was touted as a peaceful protest meeting by the parental group, “Parents Unknighted for Change.” The meeting was held before the evening’s Board of Education meeting. The night culminated with officers from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office being dispatched to keep the peace and qualm potential audience insurrection and agitation.
“I absolutely stand behind my decision to vote ‘yes’ on a mask requirement in our schools,” Nordonia Board of Education President Chad Lahrmer, said Sept. 2. “In medical and health issues, our Board of Education is guided by the Summit County Board of Health, Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “
Based on the number of schools shutting down around the country and the number of students in quarantine just in Northeast Ohio, the President said he felt wearing masks in schools is the right decision to keep the students and staff safe, the schools open and students in school five days per week. “
“Our duty as members of the Board of Education is to act in the best interest of our students, faculty and staff,” he said. “The education and safety of our students, faculty and staff is our prime directive.”
The Aug.19, meeting was scheduled for the purpose of discussing whether or not masks should be worn inside District buildings, the President said.
“Prior to that meeting, a survey was sent out for people to give their opinions regarding masks,” he added. “I chose to do a survey instead of an open forum for the following reasons; many people don’t like speaking in public, especially over an issue as divisive as masks.”
Lahrmer also said he felt “written comments in advance gave more people an opportunity to participate.”
“Advance comments gave the Board a chance to absorb all the information and research items brought to our attention prior to the meeting,” he said. “I wanted to avoid as much in-person conflict as possible.”
He said his actions were made to de-escalate the situation in advance and minimize arguments.”
Before the Aug. 19, meeting, the Board expected a robust reaction to the survey, in which it ended up with more than 1,000 responses.
“If only a fraction of those people wanted to speak in person, we would not have been able to hear them all and would have reduced participation,” he said. “The Board voted on the mask requirements during the August 19th meeting. The policy was passed 3 votes to 2.”
The Board then had a special meeting Aug. 30. Prior to the meeting, a protest was held outside the board offices, beginning around 5 p.m. The protestors from outside came inside the building around 7 p.m., as the regular meeting was about to start.
According to the President, most of the protesters were not wearing masks.
“They were informed of our board policy to wear masks and were asked to either put on masks or leave,” he said.
The meeting was delayed while Lahrmer called Deputies.
There were no arrests, according to Inspector Bill Holland, of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
The location of the meeting was in the Sheriff’s Office’s jurisdiction,” Holland said. “We were called not to enforce the mandate, but to provide security in case there was any unrest.”
“Once I felt comfortable the Sheriff’s Department was on the way, I started the meeting,” Lahrmer explained.
“Everyone was repeatedly asked to put on a mask or leave. The deputy from the Sheriff’s Department spoke to the audience and informed them they were disrupting a public meeting by not complying with board policy.”
Some left, including one Board member, he said.
The rest of the meeting was peaceful, he said.
“Those who refused to wear masks were escorted from the building by the sheriff deputies.
Chad Greene helped create the “Unknighted” parental group.
“The rally was my idea,” according to Greene, a concerned Nordonia parent.
“It’s basically about choice,” Greene said about the group and actions. “Parents should have a choice on their children wearing masks.”
Greene said he has no problem with anyone who wants to wear a mask or where they want to wear it.
“It’s a hot topic and it’s happening all over the country,” Greene said.
Greene, who attended the Aug. 19 and 30 meetings said “To my knowledge there was not a resident in the community that took the opportunity to speak at the board meeting this past Monday (Aug. 30) that stated they were in favor of the board’s recent decision.”
According to Greene the reasons for a child not to wear a mask to school may vary according to each parent.
“And there are probably a lot of feelings about the whole matter, where parents are caught off guard – and that’s probably causing some issues, too,” Greene said. “And we are not the only district out here who has faced this.”
Greene said plans at the district have changed since July, when there would be no masks, until the current mandate.
Another issue is the lack of community comment, Greene said.
And while Greene admitted some members of his group may have not worn their masks to the Aug. 30 meeting on purpose, he denied his group, as a whole, were not trying to cause an issue by not wearing a mask.
“The rally was planned and we all communicated through the Facebook group,” according to Greene. “But as far as some concerned parents, and others, to not wear a mask, it was not planned.” he said.
The protest was advertised as a “peaceful rally to show our opposition to the mask mandate.”
Greene said. “And we are not the only district out here who has faced this.”
See attached video for scenes outside the protest meeting and inside the Board meeting.