On Monday, I attended my first school board meeting for the Governor Wentworth Region School District in Wolfeboro. My husband and I arrived and found our way upstairs to the lecture hall where the meeting was held. At the door, I was asked to put on a mask.
I have not worn a mask in months and I have noticed, neither have most of my neighbors. I credit this to the vaccine, but I have also observed tens of thousands of illegal immigrants crossing our southern border without masks and I have seen sports stadiums holding thousands of unmasked fans.
There are still those wearing masks. They have made a choice that is right for them, and I do not question it because I believe in the right to choose.
Standing in the doorway of the meeting room, I was hesitant to take the mask. I was told if I did not wish to wear one I could sit with the others. Others?
I was backed out of the lecture hall, walked to the edge of the balcony, and shown the cafeteria below. I was told I could sit down there.
There were people sitting there and they looked up as I looked down. To one side was what looked like an old pull-down screen for home movies. The people down there would view the meeting on that screen.
In front of the screen was a microphone so if anyone down there had a comment they could step up to the mic.
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I turned back to the lecture hall. That was where the meeting was to be held. Not “down there.” Reluctantly, I took the mask and entered the room. It was large and multi-tiered. I observed the board members already sitting at the front facing the rows of ascending cushioned seats. I also observed that there were very few people in the room.
There was ample space to “social distance” with or without a mask. What was going on here? It did not make sense. There was no reason I could not sit in this room without a mask.
This was about control. The segregated seating was being enforced to send a message – you have no power here.
I took my mask off and stuffed it in my pocket. My people were down there in the cafeteria, beneath school board members. I left the lecture hall and joined them.
The meeting began, and the screen went live. I believe our Superintendent was the first to speak but I could not read the nameplate, nor could I understand what was being said.
The audio equipment was poor and the board members did not lower their masks when they spoke which muffled their speech. Had they spread further apart and lowered their masks when speaking, it would have improved our ability to understand them.
My husband was catching some, not all.
At one point we lost sound and no one heard anything.
Attendees were allowed to ask questions. First, the people in the lecture room, then us. When someone from our group approached the mic, the entire room was met with loud, ear-piercing feedback that made it impossible for us to understand what was being said!
Frustrated and wanting to be heard, one of the cafeteria people decided to don a mask and enter the lecture hall to offer his comments. Even though he stood alone, well distanced from others, he was made to speak through his mask. I have no idea what he shared, it was muffled.
My take-away is this; except for entering a hospital, you should have the freedom to choose whether or not to wear a mask and there is no segregation between the masked and unmasked unless you enter a public-school building. Then, even social distancing is not sufficient, and a mask is mandatory, or you will be segregated from those wearing a mask.
When you leave the school building, your rights are restored and the masked and unmasked may co-mingle in public. During school, masks are required. Out of school, it is optional, and students may co-mingle with or without a mask.
Teachers and school board members also have the right to choose whether or not to wear a mask off-campus and co-mingle without the threat of segregation. The public has the freedom to choose whether they wear a mask as they stroll through crowded grocery stores or attend massive sports events. However, at school board meetings, the masked and unmasked will be segregated. This makes no sense at all.
We have been apathetic for too long.
What we are witnessing now is the absolute control our elected officials believe they have over our children. They are government-controlled schools that kowtow to the federal government to receive their funding.
Do you trust the government to do what’s best for your children? It’s time to get involved.