Independence prepares to mandate masks in school

As the discussion about whether or not to follow the recommendation of local health officials and require students and staff wear face coverings in school continued last week Wednesday, Independence school board president Joe Bragger started noticing the band on his wrist more.

Bragger said he wears the band in honor of a young child who passed away recently. While the student did not die from COVID-19, the student’s death and the potential responsibility he may have to protect other students as a member of the board weighed on Bragger’s mind. 

“The thought that we would take a risk in this school that would endanger another child, that I would have another wristband on my wrist, is more than I can take,” Bragger said. “And I was just blown away that all of a sudden my arm started itching. We have to take care of all these kids. The kids may or may not know any better so we have to be that better voice for them to try our best to keep them safe.”

The decision, however, wasn’t Bragger’s to make. After a lengthy discussion, superintendent Bärry Schmitt decided that students, staff and visitors in the school would be required to wear face coverings at the start of the 2021-22 school year.  

The board had deferred that power to Schmitt, who initially indicated he wasn’t sure which direction to go at the time of the meeting. As of last week Monday, he was leaning toward making masks optional. New information came from the Trempealeau County Health Department earlier on Wednesday however, which made what was scheduled to be a 10-minute discussion last nearly an hour. 

Schmitt said he typically sides with the health department recommendations, but other factors were in play, causing him to hesitate. He also wasn’t sure if other districts would require face coverings. 

“I’ll be quite honest right now, the districts are more divergent now than they were last year because of a lot of the political things that have happened,” Schmitt said. “For example, the G-E-T School District.”

The thought that a decision could be based on political pressures stuck with board member Jen Rombalski, who was formerly the head of the La Crosse County Health Department and currently works for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Division of Public Health. 

“I cannot be on a school board and support that the decision we make would be based on political pressures,” Rombalski said. “I don’t think that’s what our job is. Our job is to look at the evidence that is coming through. (We should) recognize and acknowledge community concerns, but if we followed guidance in the past, we should continue to follow guidance.”

Rombalski added that following the guidance of the health officials would also help give Schmitt’s decision “backbone.” 

“We have followed these recommendations in the past and when the data got to the point where the case rates were not very significant, we came off with the masks,” Schmitt said. “But we always said that if they go back up to substantial (transmission rate) that we’re going to go back.”

Schmitt said trusting the advise of the experts is important.

“They don’t go in our room and tell us how to teach classes, we should respect them for the decisions they have to make,” Schmitt said.

Bragger thought it was important that Schmitt have the backing of the full board, but board member Bob Guza said he was “on the fence.” Guza questioned the impact of having students wear masks in school when they may not outside of school. 

“That’s a little moronic,” Guza said. “Make them wear a mask in school, they go to each other’s house and play games two feet apart. I know we can only control when they’re here, I understand it.”

Rombalski said that was part of the reason why having masks mandated in school was important. She said the masks would help prevent students who may get COVID-19 at home from spreading it to the rest of the students. 

Board member Deb Bork mentioned the importance of hand-washing, not adjusting masks and properly sanitizing the masks. She also suggested that paper masks be changed at least once throughout the day because they collect moisture and that allows bacteria from the outside to get into the system. 

“Of course I’m not in favor of (masks),” Bork said. “But I’m all about the kids and whatever is best for the kids. But I’m concerned about some of the social things about wearing a mask for a long period of time.” 

Board members noted that masks were optional during summer school and that should the recommendation of health officials change, masks could become optional again.