The FHSD School Board of Education is a predominant place in which many of the residents of the district or people involved in school are able to share their opinions or concerns with those around. Emily Whinham has been involved in these meetings as an advocate, but has only recently been speaking on the mask mandates twice and once about a book review debate.

“I would feel better about going mask optional if the school would know what percentage of the [students] were vaccinated, but they were making these decisions [about optional mask mandates] without having that information,” Whinham said. “I think that it would be nice if a school would actually do a survey and see what percentage of parents actually want masks in general. Fort Zumwalt did a survey, and their’s came out almost 50/50. They polled the parents and they polled the teachers, but that was when [the cases] were not nearly as bad as now.”

Whinham had many encounters with the opposing side of the mask debate. And she has a couple of reasons why she will continue to favor masks until positive Covid rates decrease significantly.

“The problem is that [anti mask people] can choose for their child not to wear a mask, their child could get others sick and it won’t just affect them,” Whinham said. “I think that it would be nice if a school should actually do a survey and see what percentage of parents actually want masks in general. Fort Zumwalt did a survey, and their’s came out almost 50/50. They polled the parents and they polled the teachers, but that was when [the cases] were not nearly as bad as now.”

Whinham had previously said that the covid rates would soar because of holidays and the cold season. Which was similar to what Dr. Rumpus, a doctor that had spoken after her at the Board Meeting, had said. And now that leaves Whinham disappointed and felt unheard. 

“There are two board candidates that are coming up in the election, they could potentially help,” said Whinham. “They are recommended by the FHEA. They are two very strong candidates that I think would listen better than the ones that we have right now. I think that the board candidates would be helpful, they’re more open minded.”