The FHSD Board of Education had a meeting on Dec. 16 which had discussions about mask mandates, a new principal for FHN and various other topics. During the patron comments, community members were able to voice their opinions on these matters. One of the most controversial was the matter of mask mandates for the second semester of this school year.

“I’m coming here today to end the mask mandates and the quarantines,” Devon Thortan said during the board meeting on Dec. 16. “Sensory issues affect 1 out of 69 children according to the UCSF. Not all children with sensory issues are eligible for an IEP. Forcing children with sensory disorders to wear something that makes their skin crawl, feel like they’re being eaten alive, can create so much internal failure that they can’t function during their day is child abuse.”

The Board had voted to have masks optional for all students and staff starting the second semester of the school year.  

“This second graph [of a printed visual] is the breakdown by age of all COVID cases in the county for all time,” Emily Winham said during the Board meeting on Dec. 16. “The first is the breakdown by age for the last month. From looking at this graph it is very clear that kids are getting COVID more often now. The virus has mutated and is affecting kids more.”