KSD board calls special meeting over mask usage

KELLOGG — The Kellogg School District may be making some changes to their back to school plan as it relates specifically to masks and facial coverings.

Announced via their website Monday night, the district will hold a special meeting Tuesday evening with only one agenda item.

“Discussion and possible action to revise the back to school plan.”

While that may be specifically unspecific - as the back to school plan is a massive document with several moveable parts - over the last few weeks the debate over mask wearing at Kellogg’s schools has been contentious to say the least.

Last Friday, several students at Kellogg High School staged a peaceful protest by refusing to wear masks throughout the school day- challenging the district’s policy requiring them to be worn when proper social distancing cannot be attained.

The protest prompted a response from KHS officials, who issued the following response on the school’s Facebook page on Sunday:

Dear Patrons of the Kellogg School District: “Thank you for your patience as we continue to do our best to provide a healthy educational environment for our students and staff. At the present time the school district continues to work through specific mask protocols. Per the current guidelines set by the school board, on Monday, April 26 the expectations of students and staff are to wear masks as we have done to date. We respect the views of our students and patrons and thank them for their patience as conditions continue to change. Please keep in mind that the wearing of masks is for the safety of all parties. Our goal is to have a resolution to this situation as soon as possible. Discussion will continue this week in regards to the next steps. We want to continue to keep our students and staff safe. We continue to ask our students to do their best and abide by reasonable requests and expectations.”

According to parents, at least three students faced disciplinary action on Monday for once again not wearing masks to school and were picked up by their parents during the day.

Tami Wood, a parent of one of the three students who went home, explained that her child was told by a teacher Monday to put a mask on and he “politely declined.”

“Then she said, ‘you don’t have to wear it over your nose or anything, but you have to have it on.’ Then he said, ‘then what’s the point?”

Wood then said that her child was taken to KHS principal Curt-Randall Bayer’s office and she was contacted.

When she arrived, she alleged that Bayer offered to allow her son to stay at school, but he would have to stay in In-School-Suspension as long as he did not wear a mask.

“I was like, ‘so what’s he going to do (while there)? I’ll just take him home.”

Wood added that other students, such as her daughter, also did not wear a mask on Monday, but faced no repercussions.

“My child was targeted,” she said.

KSD Superintendent Dr. Nancy Larsen said that the district declines to comment on the matter, as they must protect the privacy of their students.

It was reported last week by Larsen that masks and facial coverings were discussed at the April school board meeting, but due to several factors, they decided to table the topic until the May 12 meeting.

In the wake of other official entities such as the Panhandle Health District, City of Kellogg, and the Coeur d’Alene School District doing away with their make mandates, a citizen group has formed in direct opposition of KSD’s current requirements.

The special board meeting will be held at the Kellogg School District Office on Tuesday, April 27, at 7 p.m.