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Montgomery Township school meeting centers on mask mandates, parent concerns and Sept. 1 COVID forum
Summary
Parents pressed the board about mask requirements and alleged teacher training to solicit or record students' vaccination status; the district said it was unaware of such training and will host a virtual health forum Sept. 1 with public-health experts to answer questions.
Parents at the Montgomery Township School District meeting raised concerns about mask mandates and reports that teachers are being trained to ask students about vaccination status or record those conversations.
During public comment, Jennifer Dressler said parents should retain the ability to decide mask use for their children and asked the board to investigate reports that teachers were being trained to elicit and log students’ vaccination status. ‘‘I would not consent to my children doing [recorded medical conversations],’’ Dressler said.
Gabriela Zayevra asked the district to provide peer-reviewed research showing long-term masking is safe for children and described speech and behavioral issues she attributed to mask use for her son. ‘‘I had to ask him every time three or four times what he was saying,’’ she said, asking who would pay for a speech therapist if mask-wearing caused delays.
Board members and district staff responded that they had no knowledge of teachers being trained to solicit or record vaccination status. A board representative said medical exemptions to mask rules require documentation from a medical doctor and approval by the school physician, and that speech therapists are not the approving medical authority. Jim Dolan, speaking as a union representative, said his association had ‘‘heard of absolutely no training’’ to collect vaccination statuses and offered to help investigate the source of the claims.
The board acknowledged the community is divided on the issue and asked residents who have specific information to submit it for investigation. The board said it would consider issuing a policy statement if needed to prevent the practices parents described.
Separately, district officials confirmed the district is planning to open for full in-person instruction Sept. 9 and that daily COVID forms and executive-order-based mask and staff vaccination/testing requirements remain in place. Officials announced a virtual COVID back-to-school forum on Wednesday, Sept. 1, from 6 to 8 p.m.; the first hour will be general information with breakout rooms by building in the second hour. The district said Dr. Mendelbaum and Stephanie Carey from the Department of Health will present and that the Zoom link will be sent to families.
The board encouraged parents to submit questions in advance for the forum and said it will follow up on any credible evidence about alleged teacher training or apps used to document students’ vaccine status.
