School day face mask protest attracts 14 students

The kids gathered atop the sledding hill across from Evergreen Elementary, next to a small fire in which they burned face masks. They carried signs reading "Unmask Wrangell Youth!!" and "Unmask our children! Let them be kids!" They chanted, "Burn the masks!"

It was part of a walkout in which children and parents frustrated over wearing masks during school hours voiced their opposition to the districtwide rule.

About 14 elementary and middle school students left the grounds at 10:30 a.m. last Friday to protest the district's mitigation plan, which includes masking for everyone while on campus. It was a move organized by their parents.

"Some of these kids have had major conversations with their parents about their decision to stand up to the school district," said DaNika Smalley, one of the parents at the protest. "For that, I am very proud to say that we are a part of this. These children are our future and teaching them ways to stand up for what they believe in is a part of parenthood."

Smalley said the small turnout was partly due to some parents having to work and a few families being in quarantine because of close contact with a COVID-19 case. She said some kids were afraid to attend because of repercussions.

As of Monday, the community had tallied 140 COVID-19 infections since Dec. 30, about one in every 15 residents in town.

Some of the student protesters don't believe masks provide any protection from the virus.

"It's just kind of stupid at this point. In my opinion, masks don't help," said eighth grade student Tyra Meissner. "People have been getting COVID with masks from school, so there's not really avoiding it."

Though she doesn't want to continue wearing a mask, Meissner believes it should be a person's choice and won't change how she feels about friends who want to continue donning a mask.

"I'm still going to be friends with them. I don't care what their opinion is," she said. She's hoping the walkout and mask burning won't be ignored. Meissner would like to "get the school board's attention and hopefully get them to reconsider things or get them to think about it a little bit. ... They don't have to get rid of it completely, but make it people's choice."

The school board reviews the mitigation plan on a regular basis and weighs it against current case counts.

"Masking is part of our mitigation plan currently so that we are able to lessen some of the other mitigation factors, such as less social distancing, less close contacts with students in the same class and school," said Schools Superintendent Bill Burr.

"It has helped keep students in school and our doors open. We regularly discuss our plan and attempt to make adjustments that we hope are the best for our students' educational opportunities."

He said school has remained open despite the recent spike in cases in the community and schools.

School continued as normal despite the walkout, Burr said, with staff working with students for minimal disruption.

Middle school student Katelynn Gillen said she and her friends that left school were told they would receive zero scores on tests if they left class.

"We don't know about the history test, but we for sure know about the math test," Gillen said. "Our teacher said we'd get a zero" if students missed the test.

Middle school assistant principal Bob Davis said a zero score would fall in line with school protocols.

"We are using the same protocols we use any time a student misses a test. A zero is entered into the PowerSchool until it is made up," he said. "Any student who missed a test today for any reason will get a zero, which they can make up by taking the test at lunch or after school next week."

Davis said the impact from the walkout was minimal at the middle school, with only six students leaving. No high school students participated in the walkout.

Mom Amanda Janssen believes the masks have had negative effects on children.

"They're getting headaches from masks, and there's no reason to be masking our children when they're at the lowest risk," Janssen said. "My kindergartener was late in speech and masking has not helped him progress at all. He's 6 now and, sometimes, we still don't know what he's saying."

Burr said staff is working with students to help them through the challenges of the pandemic.

"We have staff at both school sites that deal directly with our students' social and emotional needs through grant programs and regular funding," he said. "Our teachers are very cognizant of their students and work in every way possible to provide our Wrangell students with support."

The protest was a first in more to come, Smalley said.

"Thankfully, there is already another in motion, and I'm happy to say this will not be the end unless the school board changes their mask policy and allows for the change of mask mandates to optional masking," she said.