BA officials brace for mask protests on first day of mandate
Students at B-A began adjusting to new mask mandates on Tuesday with no disruptions.
September 7, 2021
With the new mask mandate taking place this Tuesday, school officials sent out a letter to all parents informing them of the disciplinary actions that the school would follow for students who refused to wear a mask.
The message was clearly sent to prevent any form of mask protests from materializing on Tuesday morning.
The disciplinary actions from the letter for refusing to wear a mask from the letter are as follows: If a student does not wear a mask, they will be sent to the principal’s office and provided one. If they refuse to wear a mask, they will be sent to a location within the school where they can socially distance. If a student continually refuses to wear a mask, the same disciplinary process that was in place last school year will be utilized.
The end of the letter states that the district is not happy with the governor’s mandate, and that the school board is working to reverse the mandate which does provide some hope for those students who do not agree with the mandate in the future.
Bellwood-Antis High School made it through the day on Tuesday without any noticeable disruptions as a result of students protesting the mask mandates.
Governor Tom Wolfe instructed public schools to begin making students and teachers wear masks last week in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, reversing his statement from last summer when he said the decision would be left to each local district.
B-A students were masked all of the 2021-2022 school year.
