RIVERTON, Utah — Dozens of parents in the Jordan School District attended Tuesday’s meeting of the school board, hoping to sway board members to loosen mask requirements.
Many of the parents who attended the meeting without wearing masks are members of the “See My Smile” group. They would like to district to follow the lead of the Kane County, Iron County and San Juan school districts in not requiring a doctor’s signature to qualify for a medical exemption to opt out of the state’s school mask mandate.
“Their kids can’t breathe. Their kids have headaches. They have anxiety,” one parent said to the board. “It’s time to move forward. The mask mandate has been lifted in Utah. It’s time to give parents the opportunity to choose if their kids should wear a mask or not.”
Currently, the Kane County School District allows parents to fill out a form signifying their child has a medical or mental health condition that prevents them from wearing a mask. The form does not require a doctor’s approval.
The Jordan School District, like most others in the state, requires a doctor to sign off on a mask exemption.
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Even though the school year has roughly one month remaining until summer break, parents believe they should have the choice if their children wear a mask at school.
“Three weeks and seven more days is three weeks and seven more days of hell,” another parent said while addressing the board members.
In written comments, one parent on the other side of the issue said, “one child not wearing a face covering, effects everyone in that classroom.”
Because face coverings were not on the board's agenda, no action was taken on the issue.
Earlier in the meeting, one school board member spoke about Elk Ridge Middle School, a school in the district dealing with an outbreak of 50 cases of COVID-19.