Officially.
Thank you.
Just going to give it one moment because.
There's people.
Coming in from the waiting room.
Just.
Like to call the July 12,
2021 special meeting of the Derry Township School District Board of Directors
to order and announce that this meeting is being livestreamed and audio recorded.
This meeting is being conducted both in-person and virtually.
Board Members.
Please remember to state your name before speaking this evening.
Mrs. Aggie Roll, please.
Mr. Abel. Here.
Dr. Cronin.
Here,
Mr. Drew.
Here, Mrs. Phagocytic.
Here, Mrs. Manny. Here.
Mr. Rizzo. Here.
Dr. Shore.
Here. Mrs. Decker. Here.
Mr. Singer. Here.
Nine present, eight in-person, one virtual.
Thank you.
Please rise if you are able, and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance.
The United States of America and Caesar.
Which stands for One Nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
May I
please have a motion to approve the August 12, 2021
Board of Directors agenda so moved Maria May 2nd.
Terry Singer Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor, please say I I any opposed.
The agenda is approved.
I would like to announce that the board met in executive session
prior to this meeting to discuss items related to information and safety.
We will now proceed to this evening's first recognition of citizens
public comment period, which is an opportunity for residents
and taxpayers to address the board on matters related to the agenda.
Tonight's meeting is a special agenda or is a special meeting of the board
for the purpose of voting
on the recommended revisions to the District's health and safety plan.
All comments in this first public comment period must be related to this.
If a speaker deviates from the current agenda items,
they will be asked to hold these comments until the final comment period.
The board recognizes
that members of our community have strong and differing views on this topic.
While there may be disagreement, public comment must be shared
only in a manner that is civil and respectful.
The board reserves the right to restrict
or conclude any public comment to the contrary.
The board also reserves the right to conclude the public comment portion
if order and professionalism are not maintained.
If necessary, the board may set a maximum time for the public portion.
Public comment portion of this meeting.
The board may also conclude the public comment portion.
If comments become overly repetitive.
Those who speak if present, are asked to come to the microphone
and state your name and address for the record before you begin.
Those attending virtually who would like to speak are asked
to raise their virtual hand in order to be recognized.
You must have your first and last name typed into the livestream registration.
Once recognized and unmuted, please state your name and address
for the record prior
to speaking to provide other residents with an opportunity to speak.
Each speaker during the public comment portion of tonight's meeting
will be limited to 3 minutes of speaking time once recognized and limited
to one opportunity to address the board during each of the public comment periods.
I will ask our board treasurer, Mrs.
Sikka, to please keep time to ensure everyone
wishing to address the board this evening has the opportunity to do so.
Those desiring to speak should please consider limiting their comments.
Similar ones were previously shared.
I will also kindly request that individuals who have spoken
on the same topic previously in recent meetings.
Please consider holding your comments at the onset
until those who have not spoken previously have had the opportunity to do so.
This portion of the board
meeting is for comments to the board and is not a question and answer period.
Those wishing to present
private concerns or questions needing follow up outside of the board meeting
may go to the district website and submit a community correspondence.
I now invite residents and taxpayers who wish to speak to do so at this time.
For this evening's meeting.
I will begin with those participating
virtually since we've previously began with those in the audience.
So if you would, please raise your virtual hand.
I will ask Mr.
Swaggart to please begin recognizing.
Madam President, we have Julie Goolsby.
Thank you, Mrs.
Goolsbee.
You're being unmuted and you may go ahead once
you state your name and address for the record, please.
Actually, the name changed.
We now have Jonathan Zuck.
Hi, my name is Jonathan Zuck.
I live at 41 Clark Road in Hershey.
I'm speaking in favor of the health and safety plan revision.
First of all, I will note that the average new daily case rate in Dauphin County
is now over four times higher than when the optional masking policy was set.
So it's clearly time to revise that policy.
Some people at the last meeting were asking, where do we draw the line?
I think and strongly feel
that mandating masks for kids in schools is the absolute least we can do.
Not enough adults are vaccinated.
Not enough adults are following masking guidelines and social distancing.
We're all acting like we're past this, and that's why the numbers are spiking.
We also know that recommended social distancing in our schools
isn't possible because of the size of the schools and the number of kids.
So in this environment, we absolutely have to mask
or very quickly, all the kids are going to be home again.
That's not a theory.
It's already happening in schools in Georgia, Indiana,
Georgia, in Hawaii, already shutting down
because of outbreaks in schools where masks are optional.
So we need to live in the real world.
There are no scientific studies that masks increase bacterial
or viral or fungal infections or cause hypoxia.
There are a lot of studies that show that masks work
to reduce the spread of COVID.
There were also
a number of speakers framing this as a personal choice.
But we need to stop pretending
that in this country we're free to do anything we want.
Freedom has to be balanced by responsibility and the rights of others.
I'm not free to yell fire in a crowded theater.
I'm not free to smoke in my workplace or in restaurants.
And I'm not
free to decide not to put seatbelts on my kids
because my kids think they're uncomfortable.
Just.
Some speakers were also suggesting this is going to emotionally devastate our kids.
I just don't buy that argument.
And I'm the parent of a child with diagnosed anxiety.
What is going to devastate our kids is if we go back
to last year's situation where we are all isolated, we can't see our friends
or family members participate in activities.
And the numbers suggest that if we don't
change some things, that's exactly where we're heading.
I'll end with one personal story.
My mother's retirement community did an amazing
job last year with the first COVID outbreak.
They only had a handful of cases and no deaths throughout the whole year.
But they did that through some very strict lockdown policies.
And my mother, who lives alone, went months without the touch
of another human being.
So it was a
very happy day when almost a year later she was able to come
after being vaccinated and hug her grandkids again.
But she her community just had an outbreak.
This is a community that's 99% vaccinated,
but someone you have ten virus in.
Just 10 seconds.
And they had an outbreak now.
So they're locked down again.
We'll hopefully get past it,
but my kids need to see their granny.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Zach.
Mr. Stewart.
Next, we have Kimberly.
Zach.
Hi. And you need to.
Meet your son.
This is Kimberly. Zach.
I live at 41 Clark Road.
I am asking the board to vote
in favor of K through 12 mask requirement.
The argument that very few children get sick
and even less die from COVID is a heartless one.
One child experiencing long term effects
or dying from COVID is too many.
When there is such a simple and proven way to prevent the spread of this disease.
I also
hear the argument that only those who are at risk
need to worry.
Does that make them expendable?
My 11 year old niece was diagnosed
with juvenile arthritis before she was two.
Since then, she has also been diagnosed with uveitis and Crohn's disease.
There are only three medications that work for all for symptoms.
Each of these are immunosuppressants.
One of them she had very adverse reactions to.
She is currently on the second of them, unfortunately for most people.
After several years, these medicines stopped working.
If she would catch COVID, she would have to go off this medication
and which she would not be able to go back on it because of antibodies.
That means 11.
She would only have one medication available to her for the rest of her life.
Now, my
niece doesn't go to Hershey, but many children like Gabby do.
We live in a town which many people move to because of our med center.
We have many homes with a child or parent who is at great risk.
These children should not have to be isolated in another year.
If every person in the building wears a properly fitted cotton mask,
these children can be in school and keep themselves and their family safe.
Just as we have students and families who are considered
high risk, we also have many teachers that are.
These teachers will take a bullet for our children.
I feel like these same teachers
are often overlooked when it comes to these decisions.
It's time the community takes action to protect our teachers.
The argument that if you want
to wear a mask, no one will stop you is absolutely ridiculous.
We have been hearing for more than six
months that my mask protects you and your mask protects me.
Can we please end the stupid debate?
Is time that we come together as a community and take care of each other?
So please vote in favor of the revised Health and Safety plan.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Zack.
Next, we have Michael Angelo.
Mr. Angelo, you're not being unmuted.
Please be sure to state your name and address for the record prior to beginning.
Thank you, Lindsay.
Thank you.
Board.
I wanted to kind of talk about the state.
I'm sorry.
Could you please state your address for the record? I'm sorry.
Mike Angelo.
I live at 1927 Gristmill Circle in Hershey,
and I wanted to take a different approach to this.
I'm here with my wife.
Although we won't be redundant.
I will be the only one speaking this evening on our behalf.
But I'd like to start by saying
that I really believe that the leaders of Derry Township
have done an excellent job in reducing the level and the amount
of bullying that our children have experienced in the last year.
As we all know, bullying is a serious issue
and can oftentimes lead to grave circumstances for our children
who are ill equipped to deal emotionally with the devastating effects and scars
that it leaves.
Oftentimes leading to a child deciding to take their own life
after such a tragic incident,
such as the one that happened at our school in the not so distant past.
People are left wondering, could I have done more?
Was there something that I could have done?
Were there signs
that I could have looked for that would have triggered me to intervene?
The most common answer to that question usually begins
with phrases like In hindsight, so-and-so.
Fill in the blank.
Always had this sad despond.
It scared, stressed, depressed, lonely, dismal, somber, melancholic
look on their face and
and looking back now, I wish I would have intervened.
One of the most well-known research projects on non-verbal
communication was done in the 1960s by a gentleman named Dr.
Mary Bond.
Dr. Mary Bond studied multiple elements of body language
to include gestures, touch, voice, inflection and facial expressions.
The conclusion of the study was that facial expressions
were the predominant form of nonverbal communication accounting
for a range of anywhere from 70 to 93%
of all forms of nonverbal communication.
Let me say that again Facial expressions accounted for a range of 70
to 93% of all forms of nonverbal communication.
Facial expressions provide us with context similar to how a one on one phone
call provides us with context as opposed to a text message.
Facial
expressions allows students the gift of providing context
to their teachers, their coaches and their peers.
Facial expressions again
accounting for 70 to 93% of nonverbal communication
allow for students to let us know when they are hurting,
when they are in pain, even if they don't want to talk about it.
Facial expressions.
In. Seconds. A window into a child's heart.
I have 2 minutes and 31 seconds here.
The school board met the school board.
A year, 3 minutes, 33 minutes.
And I timed you right from the beginning.
Sorry.
I was.
You may finish your story tonight.
You may finish your sentence, Mr. Angelo.
And then please conclude.
Time for.
Tonight.
As was stated during the onset of this public comment
period, the speaking time is 3 minutes per person.
This evening, the board reserves the right to limit that.
It's typically 5 minutes to allow everyone the opportunity to speak.
It has been reduced to 3 minutes for this evening with no cap.
So please
try to adhere to that.
Okay.
Next we have Omer Ali suspensions.
We lost him.
I'm sorry.
I don't have him.
Next, we have Omer Ali.
It's a good evening.
Omar, Molly.
Two, four, seven to Rally Road Hummelstown.
I'm just going to go immediately to up to a couple of facts.
This is according to the American Academy of Pediatrics report on pediatric COVID.
As of August 5th, 4.3 million children tested positive for COVID
since the onset of the pandemic, 14.3% of the total cases.
There's been an uptick recently,
an increase of 4%.
Almost 94,000
cases were added in the last week,
while deaths and mortality still remains low.
We have to
consider the long term implications of COVID
and misc multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.
It affects 0.14% of children
with COVID two thirds requiring intensive care unit.
This is from a reputable article from the British Medical Journal.
I've already sent to our board members
an article from the Journal of the American Medical Association,
which compiles 11 studies showing
the effectiveness of masking to meditate,
risk of contracting COVID 19.
According to the updated CDC guidelines.
If there is a positive COVID case
exposure and both individuals wear masks, there is no need for quarantine.
And that would minimize
disruption of a school year.
Our previous speaker
already mentioned what happened in Georgia,
where two counties school districts have had
were forced to go virtual.
We are in a pandemic.
It is a public health crisis.
It's not my kid, not your kid.
It's not the parents choice.
We need to collectively, as a community, defer to the recommendations of experts
in this field.
This year, the school district delegated a pandemic response team composed
of pediatricians infectious disease specialist who recommend
complying with the revised CDC guidelines and AP guidelines.
As a physician, myself and internist, I find my need to speak up
as much misinformation has been recently shared.
I hope we collectively
can work as a community in protecting
not just our state, not just the children, but even the rest of the community.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ms.. Ellie.
Mr. Speaker.
Next, we have an Urban Hall.
You mean now and mute.
And please begin with your name and address for the record.
Hi. My name is Ron Paul.
I live at 2245 Red Fox Driving Hummelstown.
I'm a parent of two kids at Hershey Medical
at Hershey Middle School and high school.
I'm not only a parent in this community, I'm a professor and a faculty at Penn
State College of Medicine, and I study
neuro development and neurodegeneration
and some acutely aware of the long term and sometimes lifelong
consequences of acute viral infections during prenatal,
early postnatal and adolescent periods, especially when we know that the pathogen
we are discussing about
affects neurons and implicates and impacts blood oxygenation level.
I won't repeat the previous points, but I would like to state for important facts.
As of August 10th, the COVID 19 infection
stands on a seven day average of 113,357,
which is almost the same as we were back in February.
The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2
is roughly 1000 times
higher level expression in infected people.
And I'm hoping the journal Nature,
I'm also quoting the news organization NPR,
which now reports that the transient disability value of this virus,
which is also known as the R not value, is at seven,
which is approaching the chicken pox level of fast of a virus.
I am quoting CDC data as of August nine, 2021, where it shows
that only 31% of age 12 to 15 age group has been fully vaccinated.
So I think it would be highly irresponsible as a community,
as a school district to not mandate masks.
I would encourage this school district
as well as the community, to fully, fully adhere to masking
and encourage full vaccine compliance in the CDC approved age groups.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dr.
Paul.
Next, we have Mallory Gillespie.
Hi, my name is Mallory
Gillespie, 141 Hawthorne Drive, Hershey.
And as all of you thought you had a place to speak up
as to a student representative.
I'm a senior at Hershey High School, and I'm involved in many clubs
and activities such as student council link crew, mentoring and volleyball.
Before I go on, I would like you all to seriously consider what I'm about to say.
Even if you think you already have your mind made up.
I'm not going to speak and yell at the leaders of this board
about all the things that went wrong in these past years.
But is time while overdue for a change?
That being said,
I have a pretty good understanding of what my peers are thinking and feeling,
and I think I can speak for most of the student body when I say
that our high school experiences have been anything but enjoyable.
We have been immensely in lack of social interaction,
whether that be teacher, student or student student,
that causes more problems than what may meet your eyes.
Fundamental social interaction to develop our character is taken away,
not to mention the teachers that only know their students
from a blank screen on Zoom or under a mask.
How are the right recommendations to determine our futures?
Athletes, performers, artists have not been able to play
and demonstrate their skills to their full potential in the slightest,
which not only affects their high school career,
but college offers and their entire future.
Athletes unable to breathe properly under their masks, casts of musicals
unable to sing. Quite bluntly, We are all done with it.
It is not just about wearing a piece of cloth anymore.
It's not political.
It's completely altering our lives.
Dragging children out of school because of contact tracing.
If the masks and social distancing actually works, why should we have to
quarantine and miss out on education and extracurriculars?
The simple contradiction of ideas shows that it's not about safety,
it's about control.
I'm aware that COVID was a great concern for many when details were unknown.
However, not now.
Anyone who goes to school is able to get vaccinated.
Our curve is flat and then the statewide mask mandate has been lifted
and we are more than ready to return back to a somewhat normal year.
By not making masks, by making masks optional,
you are punishing those who are vaccinated and further not encouraging
more people to be vaccinated, which is the ultimate goal.
If other schools in Dauphin County and surrounding areas
not 10 to 30 minutes away from us either are not required to wear
masks or it's optional, why should Hershey be an exception?
Our age group is at least at risk
and we are physically and emotionally abusing ourselves to fit your roles.
There is no problem if some prefer to wear masks or go online, but do not hold up
the majority that perform better in school and thrive socially without masks.
Last year was a different story.
Vaccines weren't available to everyone and we had been living off a mask
mandate all year.
Now we are coming off of the summer.
At least people I have communicated with have not gotten sick and those who want
to be vaccinated or we are so focused on the physical well-being of students
that we are completely ignoring the emotional well-being of students,
which is frankly ignorant.
With all due respect, the student body is ready to have a fun normal in 10 seconds.
Improving our students going to events and this can all be done without masks.
I strongly encourage you to take my words into consideration
and I hope that your time is up.
Thank you, Ms..
Goldsby. Mr. Swiger.
Next, we have Lauren Broyles.
As far as you're being unmuted,
please state your name and address for the record prior to beginning.
Hello, my name is Lauren Broyles.
I live at 2033 Rawley Road.
I am recently moving into the area.
I am actually Skyping in from Washington State right now.
I will land in your community
on the 17th so that my third grader can start New York Township.
We sought out your school district on purpose because it has such a great
community and really good education background.
However, the fact that masks are not being mandated
for elementary school students worries me immensely.
As the previous lady was just saying,
high school students do have the opportunity to be vaccinated
and I think that's fantastic and if we don't
mandate masks for high schoolers, I understand both sides of that.
However, for the under age, under 12,
we can't yet get our
children vaccinated and for them we need to keep them as safe as possible.
I'm actually moving in from the very first school district
that got closed down for COVID.
We lived about a half a mile from the first death in the United States.
So when I say that we are in the middle of this pandemic
and have been for 17 months, I know what I'm talking about.
My child would love to go back to school, but he also understands
that for his own safety and the safety of all of his peers,
he's required to wear a mask and he's just going to third grade.
It's not too much to ask for kids to take care of other kids,
and it's certainly not too much to ask
for adults to take care of kids that cannot yet be vaccinated.
I am in sympathy
with the high schoolers who would like very much to go
to school without masks, and they have that opportunity to be vaccinated.
But since our younger children don't have the chance, I would very much
be in favor of putting the mask mandate back
for the children that don't have a choice but to get vaccinated yet.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ms..
Brown. I have a question.
I just have one question.
I'm sorry. We're actually doing this.
The sicker residents of a community to be able to talk.
Yes, she provided and the speaker provided an address.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
That's. That's in the rules.
Excuse me, please.
Please wait for your turn.
I was a resident.
If you cannot control yourself, I will ask for you to
please be removed from the room.
I'm your disrupting the meeting.
I am asking you to
please refrain from speaking out further until it is your turn.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker, at the next virtual participant.
Next, we have Brittany Massari.
Hi, my name is one.
If you would, please start with your name and address for the record, please.
Hi, my name is Brittany, Missouri, and I live at 20 Jacob's Creek Drive in Hershey.
I work as a pediatrician at Penn State Health, and I also serve as
a physician advisor for the Pennsylvania American Academy of Pediatrics Early
Childhood Education Linkage System, which helps to guide the state in keeping
early child care centers across Pennsylvania safe and healthy.
Today, I'm speaking in personal capacity as the parent of a first grader
at the Derry Township School District.
I commend the Pandemic Response Committee committee for altering the health
and safety plan for the upcoming school year
to include universal mandated masking for everyone in school buildings.
Unfortunately, coronavirus cases are increasing,
and with the Delta virus, our children are becoming more affected.
We have also found last year that children thrive
when participating in school in-person more than virtual
masks have been found in multiple studies to be safe for children
and be an important, effective layer in protecting children from coronavirus virus
with masks.
Children will have less exposure to corona virus.
This is not only keep our children safe and healthier, but also keep them in
in-person school as much as possible during the upcoming school year.
Masks will allow us to keep children in school.
Like I said, as much as possible and help our Derry
Township children thrive this upcoming year.
I urge the school board directors tonight to vote for the health
and safety of our children.
Following the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations
for universal mandated masking for the start of the upcoming school year.
Thank you, Dr.
Missouri, Mr.
Speaker.
Next, we have Kevin
Rex Koski.
You may now unmute and please state your name and address
for the record before beginning.
You may go ahead and unmute.
Please.
Hello, this is Michael Snicker,
which I think Kevin Reshevsky was mentioned
as the speaker.
Yes. Now,
would you like you could you please.
Could you please state your name and address for the record?
Okay. My name is Myles Nicholas.
I'm at 1636 Spring Hill Drive, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.
Excuse me.
My son is home on quarantine from child
to child spread at day care today as well.
I'm speaking from my heart as a father,
but also from my mind as a physician and a medical educator.
I'm not speaking on behalf of my position at the College of Medicine,
which is the assistant dean for education in the clinical learning environment,
which means I oversee the clinical rotations
for all of the College of Medicine, as well as the policies related to masking
and health and safety in the College of Medicine,
as well as all of our affiliate sites throughout Pennsylvania and Washington.
D.C..
We have chosen since day one to institute
a masking mandate within our students at the College of Medicine
because of the health and safety of both our students
and staff as well as our patients.
As I see the calculation today for the students,
that would be affected in the in the Derry Township School district,
I see the calculation as much different as it than it was in the past year.
I see this as a much more dangerous time with the delta variant,
which impacts the students much more than any previous variant.
I also see this as a much more dangerous variant
for our community and our staff.
I would urge the board to consider universal masking
mandates, especially for those that can't be vaccinated.
Our students under 12 years old,
I think it was mentioned
before, but losing one student, losing one staff member,
or having any prolonged debility or disability
as a result of a COVID 19 infection is one far too many.
I believe that choosing to not implement
universal masking is irresponsible,
and I would encourage the board to consider this.
Thank you.
Next, we have Julie Busby.
Mrs. Goolsby, please
state your name and address for the record once unmuted and go ahead.
Julie Jose, 1844 Meadow Ridge Drive Hummelstown.
Good evening, school board members.
First, thank you again for your time and all you do for our children.
As a parent of an incoming kindergartner.
I would like to encourage you to vote in favor
of the revised health and safety plan proposed by the Pandemic Committee.
We are seeing an alarming spike in cases nationwide
in Dauphin County, but specifically in Hershey.
And as Miles just noted, our daycare and preschool located near the Med center,
approximately 25% of our children are quarantined at home this week.
We are witnessing firsthand that the Delta variant
is more than 200% more transmissible than previous variants.
This week, our first students tested positive for COVID 19.
Over the last 17 months, only parents and teachers have tested positive.
Also, until July, we had a mask requirement
for all people over the age of two.
We do not have one now.
This week we have had four students and five children total
who have tested positive.
We saw our first case, a vaccinated parent
testing positive first followed by their two children.
Most importantly. As of tonight.
We have our first confirmed case by the preschool administration.
That.
We have a child suspected to have contracted COVID 19 at preschool
from another child.
We have the ability to stop
the spread of the virus in our community and to protect our children.
Please follow the data and the science.
Do the right thing.
To. Keep our children safe tonight.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs.
Cosby. Next, Mr. Schrager.
We have Jamie Stephens.
In Stephens.
Please go ahead and a mute and state your name and address for the record.
I don't have. Hi.
My name is unmuted.
Yes, Thank you. Thank you. Sorry.
My name is Jamie Stephens, and I live at 27 west of Granada Avenue.
My children attend
ten, a dairy township last year, and based on the guidelines
and recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, I would like to support
and be in favor of the revised plan to include face masks for our students,
not only to keep our children safe from COVID 19 while at school,
but also to keep our families
safe at in our homes and also our community as well.
My children attended Derry Township last year through the virtual option.
We had lessons every day with teachers directly from Derry Township using grade
level curriculum, which is supported through our local taxes.
The consistency and routine of the elementary virtual program
led to my children progressing successfully through their learning
and also developing relationships with teachers directly from Derry Township
and also relationships with their Derry Township peers.
Their teacher was kind enough
to get a little get together outdoors this summer to meet the class.
They got to play in-person outdoors.
It was a wonderful experience for my my children.
However, the virtual options changing this year to not
offer that to families who
may have immunocompromised people in their family
or their children who may be more exposed to contracting
COVID 19.
So Nicola does not offer
the nice benefits that we had of the Derry Township virtual program,
as outlined in the district's June 1st 21 email
Kayla uses Non-district teachers has limited synchronous learning
and also does not keep in line with Derry Township curriculum pacing.
I would like my children to be able to attend Derry Township School District
in-person, provided that their health and well-being is placed at the forefront.
Thank you all for your time and efforts and I wish everyone
much safe, help and and good health.
Thank you.
Next, we have Kevin Ricks asking.
Good evening.
My name is Dr.
Kevin Mark Koski, 1329 Quail Hollow Road in Hummelstown.
My wife, Elizabeth, and I have three children in Derry
Township School District.
I'm a hematologic oncologist and a stem cell transplant
physician here at the Penn State Cancer Institute.
And I implore the Derry Township School Board
to implement the mask mandate for the 2021 22 school year.
I also want to commend the Safety Committee
for their continued efforts to protect our children.
As we've already heard, the Delta variant poses an elevated
risk to the unvaccinated,
including all of our children who are under 12 years of age.
It's 200% more transmissible than the original that dominated our lives
last year.
Many of our local child care centers, as Julie mentioned,
are already dealing with the spread of the Delta variant among children,
and many of the spread is already due to unmasking of these children.
Multiple classrooms and including all of my children
are now under quarantine due to cases among children that are now spreading.
Tyler, the child, 1600 children were admitted to the hospital across
the United States with COVID 19 last week, a 27% increase
from the week before, and children now represent 15% of all new cases.
While children may not get severely ill with COVID, they can still transmit
the infection to other family members and within the community at large,
many of whom are my own
patients here at the Cancer Institute and are severely immunocompromised.
Masking for our children while in school makes sense,
and it should be mandated given the current state of affairs
with increased transmission of this delta variant.
I'm 100% in favor of our children being in school in-person full time,
and a masking mandate really is the best way to ensure that in-person
learning can continue with as little interruptions as possible.
Virtual learning, unfortunately, highlights the inequalities in education
and has been extremely detrimental to the mental health of children
and adolescents.
But without a mask mandate,
there will inevitably be more quarantines, more virtual learning,
more classroom closures and more canceled extracurriculars locally.
As Julie mentioned, our child care centers are already
closing due to quarantine and cases spreading within children
in order to remain in-person full time with minimal closures.
Masking will be necessary.
School transmission has been shown to reflect,
but not necessarily drive community transmission.
So it's vitally important that our communities
take all necessary measures to limit community
spread and ensure that our schools can remain open and safe for all students.
Everything possible must be done to keep our students in school in-person.
I believe a mask mandate will help accomplish that.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends universal masking in schools,
and I beg you to please put the health
and well-being of our children at the forefront of this decision.
Thank you very much for the time.
Thank you.
Next, we have Puneet Tung.
We had Puneet Tung.
Next, we have an Esther Burger.
Yeah. Hi.
Good evening. This is her husband, Patrick McDonald.
319 Laurel Drive, Hershey.
So a lot of good perspectives tonight
and I appreciate the different opinions coming in.
But but I want to make a general point here.
COVID 19 is an infectious disease.
It doesn't really care if you're in school, if you're in a nursing home.
If you live at home, it spreads through community interaction.
I would employ the board to assess not only their responsibility
to the school district, but as a community as a whole.
In the event that we have an outbreak
within the school, it won't be localized to the school.
It will go throughout the community itself.
And that's where you have to weigh the gravity
of the public health implications here of this situation.
In the absence of the mask mandate, in the absence of a mandate.
You could potentially be inviting a larger outbreak
that would start within the school and then spread
to the households and other people in the community outside of the school.
That's how infectious diseases work.
So please take that into perspective when weighing your decision.
Thank you.
Next, we have Nicole Hackman.
Hi. Are you able to hear me?
Yes. Thank you.
Please state your name and address for the record before beginning.
Great. Thank you. My name's Nicole Hackman.
1266 Randall Road in Hummelstown,
one graduate of Hershey High School, a pediatrician and mother of four.
And I appreciate the opportunity to be able to share my expert opinion.
I fully support universal mask wearing to protect my children,
my patients and our community.
As was mentioned previously, we know that mask wearing is safe and effective.
Want to add a new point to the discussion that over the course of the pandemic,
not only was mask wearing effective in reducing the spread of COVID
among our children last year, I know many of the families that I care
for also noticed the decrease in other common pediatric infections,
such as the common cold stomach bug and strep throat.
All of these common infections have symptoms that mimic COVID
and would require quarantine.
COVID testing in my school or work until they're demonstrated to be COVID negative.
That could seriously disrupt a child and a family's work week.
Universal mask wearing will prevent the spread of COVID among our children
and the unvaccinated.
It will also prevent other upper respiratory tract infections
that I know would require me to swab your child's nose,
which does cause distress and miss school and work.
I have not observed in my own children, in my patients,
or reported by parents of my patients.
Any concerns about the emotional impact of mask wearing on children?
In fact, I believe that a mask optional policy
would have a negative impact on the mental health of children,
especially those who choose to protect themselves with the mask.
The emotional
impact our children did experience during this previous year,
I suspect, is due to the significant increase in screen time that was required
due to virtual learning and the isolation that pre-teens and teens experience.
We had
evidence prior to COVID that the screen time impacts mental health,
so it was not a surprise that we had an increase
in mental health diagnoses during the pandemic.
We have been speaking to our middle school and high school age group.
We do not know the vaccination status of those students.
Nationwide, only 25 to 37% of children in those age categories
are considered fully vaccinated, leaving quite a few still at risk
and consistent with the CDC guidelines.
I also recommend masking for that population.
So I support universal mask wearing.
My children will be wearing a mask to school
and I encourage my patients and those in attendance here to do so as well.
You have a community of physicians who are supporting universal mask wearing,
many of whom would be happy to help guide policy regarding
de-escalation of mask wearing as community spread reduces.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you.
Next, we have Elizabeth Christopher.
Hi. This is her husband, Daryl Christopher
for 41 drive almost hummelstown.
I'm speaking in support of universal masking.
We've heard about the CDC guidelines and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There are other organizations
that are involved with child development
and concerned with child health
that also recommend universal masking.
That's the American Speech and Hearing Association,
which is your speech pathologist and your school,
the American Physical Therapy Association, which is the physical therapist
in your school.
The American Occupational Therapy Association,
which is the occupational therapist in your school,
the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
So the idea that there is any public health or any valid
public health debate about masking is a false one.
The issue really is,
are you going to follow the science
or are you going to allow this to become,
you know, a culture war issue?
And that's happened before.
You are probably familiar with the Scopes Monkey trials.
You may have been familiar with the
the fights over Title nine.
You may be familiar with the the fights over the ADA.
In 1990 and whether disabled kids can learn.
You know, every time a
an organization has decided not to follow the science.
History has looked back on them unfavorably.
Hershey is a school that's in the state
your and and we're it's a school that.
Mr. Christopher I'm sorry to interrupt.
I would just ask that you stay on topic relevant to the health and safety
plan specifically, please.
Okay.
Well, this is relevant to the health and safety plan because your actions affect
not just the health and safety of the students,
but they also set an example for the students.
If you want the students at the school to be able to tell fact from fiction,
then your actions play just as big
a role in their education as what they learn in school.
Because if you decide if you're going to ignore science and instead
decide that
things that people read on Reddit and Facebook are equivalent to
or superior to the public health guidance from professionals,
and what you're really telling them is that when you want them to think
critically and you want them to be able to tell fact from fiction.
It's only important if that's not inconvenient.
And so
I hope that you will be on the right side of history.
I hope that you will be on the right side of science.
And I hope that you will set a good example for our students
and teach them that not only should they in
class know the difference between fact and fiction.
They should follow in their lives as well.
Thank you.
Thank you very. Much.
Next, we. Have Deborah Mast.
Hi. My name is Deborah Mast.
I'm at 990 Sandhill Road
and I have two kiddos yet in the school system.
And although I certainly understand the masking policy
and what you want to do with that, I, I want to address that.
I was a little bit concerned the other night when my son came home
from sports practice and I don't want to call out the coach,
but I don't expect the teachers or the coaches
to start pushing the vaccine that, you know, I have no control.
If you decide on the mask, that's fine.
My child, my children will follow that.
But the vaccine should be the parent and the child's
choice together are not being pushed into that role.
I feeling bad and saying, well, you know what?
You really should go get the vaccine.
I think that's
I think if you take that away from us as parents,
that that's
just wrong in every sense of the word.
I'm not an uneducated person.
I don't just read what's on Facebook and things like that.
I do a lot of my own background stuff and I do have concerns with the vaccine.
That hasn't been a big in impact.
I'm sorry to interrupt, but the vaccine is not included.
Okay.
Any requirements in the health and safety plan?
But you have that in the paper.
And the thing that says you're going to be discussing
the vaccine for the community.
Now, the vaccine is not part of the the health and safety plan.
The only the outlined issues inside of the document
posted online is well, that's fine.
I'm so I'm I'm you're more than welcome to
your question so
I would just do it I don't agree with the mask mandate
I will follow the guidelines whatever the school sets forth
but I don't agree with it.
Thank you.
And please, now on the second public comment period,
you're more than welcome to discuss any thoughts you have on the vaccine.
Thank you. Thank you.
Next, we have Angela Wieder.
Hello, everyone.
Angela Wieder, 1778.
I wrote,
You know, unfortunately, I'm not surprised we're here
because COVID has been a disaster
and a moving target since it began.
I can see why
so many people are pushing for the mandatory masks,
because it seems to be the popular decision because
news and scientific data supporting that is everywhere.
As a side note, I am completely impressed with the caliber
people who are calling in tonight as first time callers.
But unfortunately,
I. I don't have it.
Your decisions as school directors, but I believe your decisions
were already made and this meeting is a mere formality.
That being said, my concern with the mandatory mask mandate
on the first day of school is that it's a little bit too much right away.
And I'm concerned about if we go to mandatory
masks on day one, what's next?
Right. Why?
I'm curious as to why considerations for people who have gone out of their way
to get vaccinated aren't part of the considerations here.
You know, and if this is what needs to be done
to make people comfortable to come back to school
coming out of the summer, how are we going to make people comfortable
in the middle of cold and flu season, which is going to happen
even with the masks on?
Finally, you know, if wearing a mask
to be seems to be the responsible decision
to be compassionate
and neighborly and, you know, for the good of the community.
The only piece of advice I would offer as a neighbor of this community
is if my child or family member of mine was in grave danger of COVID.
And I think I would be inclined to consider the virtual option
and not come back to school in person.
Because as a parent, I don't I wouldn't trust these masks
if it truly was about life and death.
Thank you.
Next, we have wall maidens.
Okay.
Yeah. Good evening.
My name is Juan Madan.
I live on 720 Cocoa Avenue. And.
Hershey, so I think the universal masking requirement is should be a mandate.
Because of whether.
We should mandate masks is something that depends.
Our whole got a vaccine.
And how many people get a vaccine is depends is a.
Pandemic is over winner is depends.
On how many cases do we have.
Right so then it depends on what.
Age group we're.
So even you and I went to a high school or middle school students.
As long as pandemic is not.
Over, we should have the universal. Mask.
And also vaccines.
Not 100% effective.
And also not every 100% of people get a vaccine.
Which is impossible. Right?
Some people could. Not get it, some people as well.
So I think the mask is the most that you face in the way
and the most the easiest way to live. In the pandemic.
Of course, everything.
Common was the price. I'm the wait me.
Feel not very.
Comfortable when we wear a mask. But.
While we're in the pandemic and that's.
The mortal. Enemy, and. I think.
We should.
Have required a mask. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Next, we have Jennifer Rosenberg.
Hi, I'm Jennifer Rosenberg.
I live at 930 Athens.
I'll drive in Hummelstown.
I am asking the board to vote in favor of a universal mask
requirement in our schools.
We all care so deeply about our children and about their education.
Most of us are really happy that our children
will be attending in-person full time this school year.
CDC and AP guidelines state that multiple prevention strategies
should be implemented to promote safe in-person learning for our kids,
which includes consistent and correct mask use.
The CDC also recommends universal indoor
masking for all students and staff regardless of vaccination status.
If masking is not instituted, there is the potential for outbreaks
among students and staff as occurred in Israel where two infected students
cause 153 infections and other students and 25 staff members.
Masks were not required at that time.
With the rise of the Delta variant.
This is associated with higher viral loads and increased contagion,
especially in the unvaccinated, which is the majority of our children under 12.
There are multiple children currently infected at my daughter's daycare,
which does not require masks
and as a result a large number of children are quarantined
and a large number of patients are stressed.
Are parents stretched for childcare?
This puts the adults in our community away from the essential jobs
that we do to make our community function.
And we are tired enough already,
especially prior to vaccine approval for children.
Masking as well as social distancing are needed to reduce the risk of transmission.
Children are not exempt from long COVID.
There are 7 to 10% of cases of children
that you see long COVID in which can affect their mental health
with cognitive dysfunction and their physical health with cardiac
and neurologic complications four months after their initial diagnosis.
At this point,
the prevention of COVID illness in our kids is imperative to minimize
long term complications in our children and issues in our community.
If social distancing cannot be maintained, universal
masking in schools is recommended to achieve this goal.
As a physician, I strongly feel this is the best way to keep our children safe.
Thank you to the board and for everyone for taking this into consideration.
Thank you very much.
Next, we have Kathleen Kogut.
Hi. Thank you.
Kathleen Colebatch here at 512 Maple Avenue.
No, I'm not a doctor.
I'm an engineer. And respect data.
Please, please, please vote in favor for the revised health
and safety plan, particularly for requiring masks.
Please be data driven and not emotionally driven on this topic.
We are a new family in Hershey.
We move back home.
This is originally my home. When I grew up.
We moved back to reunite with our family,
including my elderly parents from the West Coast.
To be part of this vibrant and caring community that does put community first.
It is critical to educate students in person,
especially my daughter, as she's new in the district.
But let's make it safe for all being important.
Being in-person for my daughter and likely for many children is more important
than wearing a mask.
My daughter always says
when I say wear a mask, she goes, Fine, It's not a big deal.
Please follow the science, follow the data, mask up, get vaccinated.
And thank you for having this open discussion.
Thank you.
Next, we have Laurie Peterson.
Hi. Laurie Peterson, 190,
Jacob's Creek Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
So you wake up, you go to Starbucks
and you get your venti blond coffee
and then you realize that you can't because the FDA says
you shouldn't have more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day.
And that has for 75.
Then you come home from work and, your toddlers watching TV shows
and they're driving you crazy.
Well, that's okay because they're not allowed to have screen time anyway.
If they're under 20 for 18 to 24 months,
kids 2 to 5, less than one hour of screen time per day.
So you can have your glass of wine.
Mrs. Peterson, I am certain that you're getting the relevance
of the health and safety plan, but please be mindful of that. Yes.
So the point is, there are CDC guidelines all over the place.
Say no, Toronto,
all sorts of fabulous things
that we don't really follow.
But I also know that this one is a life
or death situation.
And I know that there are people
feel very strongly about it and there are ways to compromise.
There are numerous companies who make and sell masks that protect the wearer.
I did a quick Internet search and found Cambridge, Mass.
Company, for example, has masks with a 99.6 viral filtration efficiency.
They're child safe, so parents can assume personal responsibility for their child's
well-being and feel comfortable not relying on someone else's mask choices.
These can apply to all grades for K through five.
We could have mask aware classrooms like allergy aware classrooms, but for masks,
these students would be put in classes with other all day mask wearers.
There could be choice classrooms where these students wear
masks on busses, hallways, and when congregating, but would be free
to remove their masks when seated at their desks or outside.
There is a way to make this work safely for everyone in middle and high school.
I get that hallways get crowded.
Why not give the students the choice to remove their mask once seated in class?
There are hundreds of options for personal air purifiers
that that students who were worried about it could carry with them
or wear those masks with 99.6% viral filtration.
Each room could
have a substantial tile purifier system,
but it it would be so much
it would just be beneficial for kids
to be able to concentrate mask free if they if they
so chose.
So let's all be neighborly.
I appreciate your time. Thank you.
Thank you.
Next, we have Matt Caple.
Yes. Can you hear me?
Yes. Thank you.
This is Matt Peebles for two five Avenue Hershey.
A little about me.
I have a Ph.D.
in biology and I'm currently consulting on a number of COVID 19
Therapeutics efforts, and I like to expand on that previous caller's
mention of are not and this is the transmissibility of the virus.
And back in 2020, we were dealing with SARS-CoV-2,
the original strain, which had an R, not about 2 to 3.
Essentially what that means is
an infected person could be expected to infect 2 to 3 other people
in an unmitigated unvaccinated situation.
So if you take that out, sort of 2 to 3 rounds,
you have a person that might end up with, in fact, in
sort of 27 people,
this was 2020 and we into school
with full mask protection and reduced class sizes
and all that for are not of 2 to 3,
which is similar to the RSV.
Now the delta variant variant
has a R not of 6 to 7, which
if you take that out three rounds of infection,
you actually can end up with 343 infected people from one person.
So you have a virus that is far more transmissible
than the virus that we were worried about a year ago.
But we're now looking at
potentially removing masks and mitigation.
So to me, this doesn't make sense
as a safety measure for our children, especially in those that are unvaccinated.
You see children's hospitals throughout the country,
especially in the south, now filling up with with kids that are getting sick.
And now there's no conclusive data that the Delta variant makes kids
sicker than the original strain.
But there is some circumstantial evidence that that is the case.
So with all that being said,
I'm feel like I'm piling on here, but I definitely suggest
the mandatory mask wearing to prevent the
spread of a virus that is now far more transmissible
than the virus we were worried about a year ago.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Cable.
Next, we have Corey Graff.
I apologize.
I was.
That was a mistake.
On my.
For the next person.
Next, we have Katherine Pauls.
Hi. Good evening.
My name is Katherine Paul.
If I were that 810 Providence Circle, and I'm an infectious diseases physician
at Penn State Health,
and in that role, I've taken care of hundreds of COVID 19 patients.
I've been involved in international research trials on therapeutics
for COVID 19 and involved in policy planning for the health system,
as well as external institutions as a consultant.
And I strongly recommend that the board votes that all teachers
and students be mask regardless of vaccine status.
You've heard a lot about the complications in children, the benefits of masking,
and I want to focus on the community impact that uncontrolled viral spread
has within our schools and in the community as a whole.
One thing that we should all be aware of is the differences in the Delta
variant compared to ancestral strains of COVID 19.
You've heard a lot about transmissibility.
And the second advantage that this variant has gained from mutation is the ability
to evade immune responses induced by either vaccination or prior infection.
So although vaccines are maintaining very strong efficacy against things
like hospitalization and death,
they provide less protection against asymptomatic and symptomatic illness.
When you combine that with the increased transmissibility of the virus
without other measures to interrupt transmission such as masking,
there would be widespread outbreaks that quickly occur when school returns,
both in children under 12 who cannot be vaccinated, and in those
over 12 who have a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated contacts, a vaccination
rate improve and ultimately greater than 85% vaccination rates may be needed.
With the increased transmissibility and cases decline across the country,
mask mandates can be revisited, but right now they cannot.
Our vaccination rate in this area is good and it will help mitigate
the number of hospitalizations and deaths.
But it will not prevent a surge in this region.
When health care systems are stressed.
Individuals with COVID 19 die more frequently than when it's not,
and patients with other medical problems
like heart attacks, trauma and cancer, receive suboptimal care.
Hospitals around the nation are reporting severe staffing shortages
for intensive care units.
I urge the board to be part of the solution in central Pennsylvania.
Do everything you can
to protect the children in the school and the other children and adults.
They interact with.
Be cognizant of the many health care workers
that have children in Derry Township.
Quite a few of them are here today
but may not be able to work if their children are sick with COVID 19.
Look around the nation and look internationally and see that
Delta will cause a surge that stresses our health care system if we do nothing.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dr.
Ross. Mr. Swiger.
Let's take one more virtual and then we will pause
and allow some of the in-person since we've had about an hour of virtual.
Okay.
Then the next and last speaker will be Nissar Patel,
a Stark Patel I'm a physician, internal medicine
physician at Wellspan this hospital and also provided critical care
to the COVID patients in our community during the entire pandemic last year.
Thank you. Could you state your address for the record?
All right.
My address is 71 Carrousel Circle, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
A lot of my points have already been made, so I'll keep it brief.
My my argument is in favor of a mask
mandate for
the Derry Township School District.
And if anything, I think we should have learned our lessons
from a year ago going through this for the whole past 12 plus months,
we we were able to flatten the curve
and we got to a point where we had a maskless summer basically,
and now we see a resurgence of COVID
and the very simple things make the biggest difference.
And what you can do actually now is, is to continue to do those simple things.
I'm not saying anyone has to push the vaccine or anything
because that's a that's a little bit of a different topic.
But wearing a mask is something simple.
It shows,
you know, care for yourself as well as for others.
And it sets a good example
to the high school students and to the school students
who are frustrated with staying at home,
sitting on an iPad and not being with their friends.
You know, something simple you can do is just wear a mask.
And by wearing a mask, you can continue to go to school
and hopefully prevent the spread of this disease.
Plenty of data is out there
that is good data that supports the use of masks, that supports
the use of mask mandates in schools that also show that, you know,
COVID
rates in schools directly reflect
in higher rates in the population around them.
So, you know, finding one study that meets your view
and then citing that as your own reason to oppose masks to me doesn't make sense.
And to the to the woman who said that, you know,
she's surprised by the caliber of people on this on this phone call.
There's a reason why we're all on this phone call
because all of these physicians have been battling this for the last year.
And quite honestly, it's getting a little frustrating.
So the simple thing you can do as as parents, as Derry
Township School district board members and so on and so forth, is
do the simple thing and keep it simple.
Make the kids wear masks, live on with your lives, have the sports,
and hopefully we'll get through this healthy and happily.
Thank you very much.
For those who still love their Henrys
virtually, please just stay with your hand raised.
We are going to provide folks who are here in person, the audience, to
have an opportunity to speak.
And then we will come back
and we will now begin with in person.
Once again, I'll just remind everyone to please
stay on topic to the health and safety plan.
And you have 3 minutes.
Once you begin right here in the middle, we can go ahead and start.
Ernie Henry's first.
Good evening.
Michelle DAVIES 1524 Church Road, Hershey.
A previous speaker noted a decrease in colds and other illnesses.
So where will the line be drawn?
Are we going to match the kids forever so that they don't get a cold?
Healthy immune systems don't work that way.
We need exposure to simple viruses
and such as cold to remain healthy.
Otherwise you continue to weaken your immune system
and a simple cold could make you severely, severely ill.
I have a question for each
board member to ponder over before this vote tonight.
By what authority has the board been given the right to mandate masks
and to disregard the rights of the parents and guardians
to make health care decisions for their own children?
The school board represents the community and families of this school district.
Has this board asked each individual family what they choose?
Masks, optional or masks for all? No.
This board has been asked multiple times to send a survey to.
All the families enrolled in this district.
The district sent out surveys last year for whether families preferred
in-person or virtual.
A survey is not an unreasonable request.
Vote no to the revised health and safety plan.
We know our rights. Do you
think you
back in the far left corner?
Yes. Your next. Thank you.
And then you, Mr.
Mallory, will be next.
So I guess I have to say my name and my address.
Yes, Erika.
My last name is Pruitt, and I live in three, three, three.
Lamppost Lane, Hershey.
And I'm pretty new here.
I lived everywhere in the country prior to this, so I had a great opportunity.
But making it short because I want to get cut off.
I'm guessing that this board
is already decided probably in a lot of people that called.
I see that they have PhDs and or factors
or refer to work in a health care business, a health care field.
So my daughter, by the way, I will not I'm not looking forward
to sending her this year since you're going to be wearing a mask.
She's starting her freshman year in high school.
She has no social contact since we moved here to Hershey.
She was happy in Texas, and she wasn't even from Texas.
I'm not either, even though you might think I could pass for it.
But I'm not. I'm not Mexican and I'm not from the border. Where?
The reason why there's an increment of that
virus is because there's a lot of illegals coming in these days.
Yes, well, that's the reason they.
So they don't wear a mask.
My daughter will be having to wear a mask.
My daughter has to have no social contact.
She's depressed.
She stays in her room with that virtual learning from last year.
And I'm not happy with the school here in this in this.
I mean, I love it. It's a nice town.
I was really happy to come here.
Some nice people.
I don't hate the town, but I hate this.
This not having the choice to say, can we have some kids
wear the mask and some kids not?
If the parents are so scared
that their kids are ever going to not not get sick, they wear a mask.
But don't let my kid cover her face.
She doesn't know anybody here, so she's stuck in her room with no friends,
with no contact, her teachers.
She's bored to death.
I saw her falling asleep on her classes
and she has no motivation, so I guess she'll be another statistic.
Hopefully not. I'm trying to help her.
A lot of the kids that are depressed, the committing suicide.
Maybe not in this town, God forbid.
I don't want anybody to feel that way, but my daughter does.
She has no friends.
And I really wish we had the choice and I'm going to vote no for the mask.
I don't have a Ph.D., but I know that
I've been traveling cross-country since I've been going to a gym and closed.
I'm over 50 and I still don't have that, you know,
right as I take care of myself and I try to get my immune system bust
in the good.
And that's what I think a lot of people don't see.
They don't have nutrition.
They don't take care of themselves and their little kid on.
Okay.
So I will vote no on the mask because I think we had
we should we should have the choice.
Some kids should wear it, whereas petrified getting sick
should wear their mask or has immune system problems with their family.
Wear the mask, but don't tell my kids, don't make it mandatory.
Please, I'm begging you so that my daughter can have some friends.
She has no friends in this town and I'm considering if it continues
this way, you have to continue.
I'm considering moving and I guess nobody would care anyway.
But I really don't want to live here.
I don't even like living.
I mean, I like the ocean, so I think I'm going to move.
I'm. Your time is up. Thank you,
Mr. Miller.
You are next.
This.
So I have a science explanation here.
This is if it's okay.
My daughter. John Miller, 329 Cocoa Avenue.
So the other day after the meeting,
she said, Daddy, I don't understand what's going on.
Like, what are the two different sides? So
Once I know I got three men,
this would.
Mr. Miller, I'm trusting that this is relevant to the health
and safety of voting on tonight.
So we have a beautiful little flower here.
Hopefully it can stay so I don't have a Ph.D.
in medicine, but I do have a degree in environmental science, so naturally
I lean back on what I know, what's familiar to me.
So they're familiar with invasives.
I'm sure we're all familiar with these little guys.
These are on the trees outside.
What is proof?
I told you
to keep Gypsy, Gypsy Moss spider lancer and flies
off of off of our trees.
We're going to have to.
We're have to get something like this.
And we have to cover all of our trees.
But not only that, it impacts plants.
So even even these beautiful flowers, we're going to set this thing on top of it
just in case the virus
is the analogy right?
The point being, if these things were alive, they'd fall right through there.
If you look at particle size analysis, they've done
extensive in an international building code soils inspector.
I know it doesn't seem to relate to what we're talking about here,
but I've run thousands of civil policies on soils
and soils lot and it's a series of graduated sieves
and the particles go through it.
Opening means something.
Particles, you go through it or they don't.
The analogy with the mask,
not even taking into account the fact that wearing the PPE effectively
I've mentioned before, I'm not going to get into that.
But let's say they wear the PPE 100%.
What's to say that
if the pores opening spaces, the size
and the virus is going to get out, somebody says, all right, well,
we put this over the tree because the bugs land on clumps of leaves and sometimes
it's windy, the leaves blow out and this catches the leaves.
That's basically the analogy with droplets is that, well, yeah, the virus itself
can technically get through the opening, but it keeps spray down.
Listen, the fact of the matter is people have said it before.
You have 10 seconds.
It has to burn itself out naturally.
We have to do targeting.
I understand that 3 minutes instead of five.
So I'll hang it up there. Okay.
Thank you.
And similar back here, the young lady in the back with and then
right in front of her the next.
I know you're
all right.
Hello, My name's Lisa Barto.
I live on three, two, six Coco Avenue.
I will be a sophomore next junior at Hershey High School.
And I understand that one of my fellow peers spoke earlier today
against the masks, but I am here to speak in favor of the masks.
It's funny because most of my points were similar to the points
that she made in her fight against them.
Last year was far from ideal.
I ran cross-country.
I also run track and field and both seasons were impacted.
We did have to wear masks.
However, I do not feel that wearing the mask
really affected how those sports went.
I was very happy with my two seasons
and I would just wanted to say that if wearing a mask is what it's
going to take to have a normal school year, to have school dances,
to have a sports season, to interact with my friends, I'm willing to do them.
I was vaccinated in May.
However, I understand that
a lot of kids at the high school could not have been vaccinated.
And so if the masks are going to be what helps prevent the spread,
then I'm willing to wear on
to hopefully have a quote unquote normal year.
I think everyone's just trying to do their best.
So I don't think it's fair to fight the board
about proposing a mask mandate,
and I think that must have been proven to be effective.
And I'm excited for the school year.
And I hope that if there's a mask mandate that we can have a normal year.
So I would say. Thank you very much.
Sorry we got.
Thank you very much.
My name is Charlie Sample.
I'm a doctor and I live at 316
Candlewood Lane and I'd like to apologize to the board
and my fellow community members for my outburst earlier.
But I was told by the assistant superintendent before I moved
in the community or had previously or
dropped a lot of money on a house
that I wasn't allowed to speak at a board meeting.
And that's why I spoke up so apologize.
Thank you.
Well, first of all,
I moved in in the community.
We chose Hershey from 8000 miles away from Hangzhou, China.
And I came this shoot in Seattle on 24th January 2020.
So I'm very proud to be a Hershey resident.
And I did go to Milton Hershey, by the way.
And I'm proud to be here.
But I do think that there is more things.
And I think the gentleman with the science experiment says a lot.
And I think really, if your minds weren't
already made up here
before you came here today, I think you should really think
about the effect that you're having
on the children and the people at home.
And I think that the community at large
is really more concerned about their children being in school.
By the way, I'm an educator and I was in your at one time
not too long ago, so I appreciate
you really thinking about this decision.
And I really think looking back on my children
and through their the next couple years of their lives,
I really think
that it's important to remember one thing.
I'm going to look behind me
and probably
three or four people have masks.
We're in a classroom right now. Board members.
You do not have masks on maybe for people.
And I think that says a lot. If
you don't have masks on,
three or four people behind me do.
And I think when you make your decision tonight, if it hasn't already been made,
I think as you think about that factor, because you may be six feet apart,
but these people aren't
thinking about that.
And I really appreciate your time.
I apologize for my outburst, but thank you very much.
Thank you for Hershey.
Thank you.
We'll start
here on the right and work our way across
the blue shirt there.
My name is Robert.
I live at 1244 Walton Go Road.
You guys had a lot of good speakers tonight.
Pediatricians, doctors, experts.
I am a career firefighter, have been for ten years.
I work in the city of Harrisburg
on the front line since day one.
Why? A lot of people stayed home. Whatever
we were in working, we work emergency medicine.
So I want to get to a point and give you guys a different perspective
with the mask. That's actually what I want to get to.
I do not agree.
I oppose the mask mandate because I feel it's useless.
Career fireman are issued scba,
which stands for self-contained breathing apparatus.
If your house was on fire, any ideal environment,
imagine if this useless thing was what I was given
to protect me and are true emergency anything, whether it's hazmat fire,
whatever the fine particulates in the size of those microscopic
particles of smoke are just a step above COVID 19.
I'm just asking you guys take common sense into this
and look at it from that perspective.
This mask is useless.
Not asking that we don't take other measures.
I'm simply saying that let's stop doing the useless ones is what I'm asking.
So my second point is, last year we had a virtual model.
My kids thrived under that. Maybe some didn't mind it.
And if we're going to go back and take things away
like we're going to do right now, I'm assuming
you guys have already made your minds up and that's fine.
Give us that option to have our kids back in virtual.
And that's and I just I'm asking for the option
so our kids don't have to in school wearing masks,
because I think that those far more damage than not wear masks.
Thank you. Thank you.
Walter Zirinsky,
six two bucks would drive Hershey, Pennsylvania.
You know, life is all about
risk. You've got to balance risk.
And I think that really what the community has to do with
the board has to do on behalf of the community,
is to do a risk assessment, a cost benefit analysis.
And there is no doubt that if someone is wearing a mask
and they were to sneeze or cough inadvertently
and someone were in close proximity, that they would not be sneezed upon,
I don't think anyone can really can't deny that.
However,
I would ask the physicians and the doctors
and the medical professionals that gave their time today,
when you're in the hospital, do you wear a cloth mask when you're in surgery?
What you probably don't. Why not?
Have you had
has anyone taken the time to look at, you know, like when you buy
a packet of masks in the store, Have you noticed a little bit
the the disclaimer that the manufacturer of those mask has?
Every single one says this mask does not offer
protection against exposing someone else
or protection from the virus.
The masks do not have the efficacy
to warrant this mandate.
So, I mean, that's why I'm going to
I mean, that's that's why I would encourage you.
That's why I would hope that you would oppose the masks.
When you look at the negatives of the mask and the negatives
just all over the place, this is not normal.
It is not normal to walk around with a cloth diaper on your face.
It is not community that I want to live in.
It's not the future that I want for our children.
This is not the right message to be sending to them.
You talk about spikes.
Well, guess what?
The spike that we have now, you use the spike, but spikes are all relative.
The spike that we have. Right now is.
Nothing in comparison to what we had a year ago.
Now we know about the virus a year ago.
Maybe we didn't know as much about the virus
and maybe that's why a mask mandate. Maybe.
Made sense then, but it definitely does not make.
Sense now based on what we know.
And also we have these things called cold vaccines.
And they're very, very, very, very, very effective.
And everyone in this country over.
The age of 12 can get it for free.
So if
you want to protect yourself, go out and get the vaccine.
Do not expect these children to go to school
and beg and continue to be abused with this mask.
This mask is nothing short of child abuse.
And I encourage you to please for our children,
vote against this mandate.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Moving across the gentleman
in the white shirt in the back.
The next gentleman in the white shirt.
Go next.
Get out of
Craig Miller.
321 Coco Avenue.
As I said, I'm waiting to get out this meeting.
It's my son's ninth birthday.
I have four kids,
12 and under, all schooled,
not due to COVID from the start.
I'm completely against mask wearing,
completely against it for so many reasons
listed previously,
I asked you guys to make the right decision and vote against it
because it's the right thing to do.
I will not live in fear.
I will not have my children live in fear of this virus.
I have not gotten it.
I have not worn a mask since October of last year.
I go to church with 250 people.
We shake hands.
We get Peace of Christ Weekly.
I have a Bible study in my house.
My neighbors kids all play with my kids.
So I actually do agree with a gentleman.
I think at 319, Laurel, he was worried about the spread going beyond
what I go work in people's houses as a contractor.
At first, doctors have moved to town.
I try to help them fix their house.
At first they fist bump me with a mask on.
By the end, they're shaking my hand darn near give me a hug
because they're happy with the work.
Let's not be hypocrites.
Let's just do the right thing.
Vote against the masks and let our kids have a normal life.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you.
The other gentleman in the white shirt.
My name's Tim Smith.
I live at.
226 Highland Road Hershey here.
I was going to write
something down for a lot of side note,
and I was checked by my wife on that and.
Just told to.
Come up and say what's in my heart?
First of all, let me just tell you all that
I am for choice.
Wide open choice, and I want people to be able to wear masks.
That once over them.
And I want people who don't want to wear the masks, not.
To wear
in China.
This gentleman back here also is from China, moved
to somewhere, but on China.
2002.
After.
Sores hit and
I saw
masking throughout the population and
it was it was not.
Really a good thing.
It wasn't the best thing.
And regardless of what we think politically,
I would tell you that masks do something to you.
It's been brought up already.
They they stop you from being able
to see verbal expressions or gender.
When I give a verbal expression, smile, you know,
you know, it's pretty hard to see those verbal expressions sometimes.
You can see them through the eyes, but it's not the same thing.
I have a son who's going to be a junior this year,
and he did quite well last year, virtually.
However,
what he learned.
I'm questioning.
And he did that because he couldn't.
Wear a mask to go to school because of asthma.
And I mean, could not.
We can argue that medically, but I don't want to get into that.
He could not. Okay.
And so I really, really think
we've got to let schools wide open.
Okay.
Let those that want to wear masks, wear them, but let the others that don't
want have to wear them.
Let everybody come back in.
The kids need to be together.
They need good mental.
Health is very critical.
Okay. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Just kind of work.
I can see all of you that that well, even that far away.
So I'll just move our way across so right here
in the middle.
Thank you,
Ed Brooke, 1740 east Caracas, out.
First, I just want to thank the board, you guys to hard job.
And you were at the access of a lot of strong opinions in our community.
So thank you for your service and what you're doing.
How I come out that I am against the masks.
I don't want to debate the science or any of that right now.
I think that there's people who have two sides to argue,
but I think it's a single analysis that's a problem.
And I do risk mitigation and information security for large company.
When you're considering
risk, you have to consider multiple factors given,
not arguing any of the context about reducing the spread of COVID.
All of your isolation like to use masks to protect
a populist, would include the idea that populist is isolated.
We're not.
We're in the middle of a tourist center.
Communities and schools.
St Johns,
Palmyra.
Others have already decided to go mask optional.
Our kids are going to be interacting with those kids.
Our communities touch those communities that idea that it would spread from
into out.
It works both ways.
From out to end is equally as likely.
You can't enforce masks in the way that they have to be enforced
in elementary school.
Duke and Dr.
Winslow, you've been fantastic in citing your reasons are for this
meeting and decision, Michaela to see some articles from you.
The UK, which has experienced this outbreak
for us is still mask optional for children under 11.
The WHO which is again major medical authority,
cites the possible damage, psychological emotional to children
versus the actual risk of harm to children by this virus.
And that's to include the delta variant.
I would also challenge you to consider not just legalities for those
who don't want to comply and can the school really do anything about that.
So if ten if 100 kids come in whose parents are down with it
now, what position are you in?
You're surrounded by communities that aren't going to comply.
I don't think slowing the spread
is as going to be as effective as possible as you think it is.
I think that you're in a place where a lot of people,
whether you agree with them or not, are past this.
And there's something about just the practicality of it.
Can you do that as well as the ability of respecting individuals?
I think that we've made options
available for those who are afraid, immunocompromised.
We have our own options.
I think we could even look into making a 95 masks
and more protective masks available for those
whose conscious wants them and those whose children want to be protected.
But I would invite you
to try to find a middle of the road solution here, not a part of the society
which isn't respecting their views to mask their children.
Especially like me.
I've been vaccinating my wife to vaccinate my oldest, been vaccinated
to put my kid who got vaccinated back into school with a mask
when she was told by like that was what was for
it makes the authorities themselves out to be liars if that's what she was buying.
10 seconds.
Again, Delta South, the last lambdas on the horizon.
It's a forever come up with a better solution now
and there's some who just aren't gonna comply. I do.
Time for you guys. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,
Mr. DAVIES.
This.
My name is Mike DAVIES.
I live at 1524 Church Road here in Hershey.
Board of Directors and Administration.
I first want to say thank you for your service over the years.
This district.
However, if you vote yes on amending the health and safety plan,
then when then you will have failed this district
far more than the previous benefit that you have provided over the last year.
We have all suffered from the effects of COVID 19,
whether it be physically, monetarily or emotionally, that let our liberties
be ripped away from us time and time again in the name of science.
Now, as a school board,
you want to illegally and unconstitutionally rip away the right
that I have as a parent to choose what health care my child receives.
Let's be clear These are my children, not yours.
I am the parent and not you.
According to the state law, we as parents are the only ones
that have the right to determine the health care of our children.
The fact that there is no
COVID 19 state of emergency or disaster declaration in place
further removes the right that the school can mandate masks.
Does this not concern you that there has not been one single study
done here in the United States on the pros and cons of cloth masks in school?
Not one.
Doesn't science include gathering data,
but we're supposed to
mask up even when vaccinated, according to the CDC right now,
the illegality of this is hard enough to handle.
But the blatant, glaring hypocrisy is too much.
Not one of you wore a mask on Monday, and one of you
walked into this area in this building with a mask on today.
Thank you, Mr. Able.
Not surprisingly, we also have to watch political elite
across the country, like former President Obama, ignore any guidelines by. Mr.
DAVIES that is not relevant to the health and safety plan.
Please.
By not wearing masks or social distancing,
all I'm asking is
my kids get the same freedom and choices that the political elite have.
Have you heard
in the media that the fact that the PCR tests that were primarily used during
the pandemic have been recalled by the FDA because too many false positives
and it could not distinguish between COVID 19 and the seasonal flu.
So how many cases can we actually take off the board then?
Nobody knows because it's not about the science at this point, about control.
All we are asking you as a board and administration,
as a nonpartisan view of our children's education.
But with votes like these, you continue
to show that you're in lockstep with the radical left, and their agenda.
Is Thank you.
If you use that one second,
if you vote, if you vote yes to this plan, this is a notification.
I am withdrawing my children from Derry Township schools
and putting them in a charter school.
That way you guys will not receive the money for them.
Thank you. Thank you.
Yes, please.
You're in the right here in the middle, ma'am.
Thank you.
Hi. My name is Emily.
Link 366 Yorktown Road in Hershey.
Yet another physician here to advocate
for the universal masking of the K through 12 students.
It's been a long meeting.
I appreciate your service.
I don't want to belabor the points and the data that doctors Hackman.
Fogleman.
Fogel, Rosenberg, MASSARI,
Nicola Rex Koski. And.
Polis already brought up
my colleagues, and I also advocate for following CDC
and AP guidance and universal masking of students.
I'm grateful for the the grit
and the flexibility that the teachers have shown over the past year.
There's a ton of uncertainty.
There's not a lot of or any really randomized controlled trial of the cloth mask.
I am an internist, too.
I respect a lot of you.
I respect your opinions towards wearing masks and not I know the masks are hard.
I've had my three children
in some of your houses without masks too, when the numbers were lower,
but the numbers are taking up and I'm seeing that in my my own practice.
My colleagues are seeing their in the mask, while not
perfect, may help mitigate the spread.
As a physician and the co-leader of the COVID clinic here in this town
over the last year, from
April 2020 to March 2021, when we were fortunately able
to close it, I can tell you there has been no other professional frustration.
As great as looking someone's eyes
who cannot breathe and knowing that you have very, very little.
To offer them.
This may not be perfect, but it's something and.
It's something that we can show our children that they are doing.
They're playing a role to
protect the other members of our community because we don't live in a vacuum.
And so regardless
of how you vote tonight and I hope you vote for universal masking,
I'd ask all the parents to at least consider as the cases continue
to rise and the concern continues to rise, at least consider conservatism.
Thank you.
Well, just keep moving over.
Heather.
Shawn Mayes, 111
Jacob's Creek Drive here in Hershey
In March and March, my five year old preschool
five year olds preschool teacher tested positive for COVID.
A five year old never got sick, and the other cheat
and the other preschool teacher who worked directly with her
also tested negative.
Everybody was wearing a mask.
From what I read and understand, if someone tests positive in the classroom
here at Derry Township and if and if masks are optional,
everyone would have to quarantine for two weeks.
But if everyone is masked and they won't have to quarantine,
what I'm not understanding is this Who wants
who would want masks to be optional?
You have to quarantine for two weeks just because a teacher or
or a student was sick in the classroom.
I sure hope they're in those two weeks and sending them over to your grandparents
when they're supposed to be quarantined.
I want my kids in school five days a week in this school.
They miss. They want to be here.
They love the interactions Asciano mask.
They want to be here.
They want to socialize.
They want to learn.
They want to grow.
As students here in Derry Township,
I'm asking that you guys please vote
in favor of masks.
With that said,
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Simply put them
your freedom ends for my life and my children begins.
So you can't go around shooting people
just can't.
It me it is against the law, apparently against your little daughter,
right, though.
But we are here having a debate though,
because many of us are more concerned about being right
than the truth itself.
The truth is masks are effective, whether it's 20%,
40%, they are they they have some effectiveness.
They're not perfect, as the other speaker stated.
But it works.
Please do not interrupt or speak while you're in the audience.
If you're not at the podium.
The truth is, is there will also be exceptions created for children
who are unable to wear a mask for whatever reason it might be.
I'm sure you will allow those exceptions to occur,
whatever they may be, and we'll do it in a safe manner.
Um, the last I have to say is between the gasps and the.
It's not true that I hear when all the doctors are speaking and speaking.
There are statistics.
It's clear that some individuals behind.
Me did 10 seconds.
Did not clearly get to their conclusion logically.
So any logical, rational or rational argument
will not work.
Thank you all with this.
Thank you.
Offers 5000. Dollars for reimbursements.
Okay. Thank you. That is. That.
Thank you.
Okay.
We're actually going to take a five minute recess
and ask the board to take a five minute recess and we will reconvene.
Thank you.
So yes,
sorry.
It's like
curtains or
something.
In other words, that
I would
never
argue.
I like.
Well.
Go for your teeth.
Not much.
Or should I.
Have one of those one.
Of the best fried chicken.
On the world.
Also.
So how.
About. This one?
So please help me.
Let's get some more
Supercuts.
Let's just say.
We're now
going to resume the special meeting
before we continue with public comment, Just a couple of reminders.
The board secretary has asked that participants, please just speak
your name a little bit slower and more clearly when doing that,
that she can get accurate records.
And for those in person, if you did not sign in
at the signing table on your way in, please make sure to do that as well.
We've
been in public comment now for close to 2 hours.
I know there's still a number of people
in person as well as virtual who want to participate and
so evening we want to do everything we can to let all of you have that opportunity
and not have to leave anyone unable to be heard.
That being said, at 7:50 p.m.
right now, we will go no later than 9 p.m..
I will give a reminder at 845.
So I would just ask
that folks continue to think if there's something that hasn't been
mentioned already and that you want to say, please go ahead and do that.
But if it is repetitive points
that have already been made, please consider refraining
and to stating your position so that we can continue to move
and allow everyone the opportunity.
You're saying till 845 for just public comment.
We're not even talking about the part that we have to get to.
Yes, because we still have a number of people
here, 16 with their hands raised on Zoom.
Okay. Thank you for the clarification.
Okay.
So we will now resume in-person public comment.
So I know we were right in the middle when we started.
The gentleman here in the front left,
if you would like to start, and then we'll just go to the back of the room
before we go back to Zoom.
Thanks for taking the time.
My name is Ben Fogle.
I live at 930 Athens.
I'll drive in Hummelstown.
I am a pediatrician in the community
and I don't have a lot to add to what all of my colleagues said.
What I do want to say is that I think that most of us
are on the same page and want the same thing for our kids.
We want them to be in-person in school.
We saw last year that their education was compromised.
We saw that their mental health was compromised and we want to do
the best that we can for them this year to prevent some of those problems.
In my job as a primary care pediatrician,
I take care of kids for all sorts of reasons, but
I see them for their mental health concerns every year.
I see kids with depression and anxiety.
Every year I see
maybe one or two kids who considered suicide.
This past year has been like nothing Any of us have ever seen.
The kids were devastated, some very few.
Some did well in virtual learning,
and I think that was a great option for some kids.
But most of the kids that I saw
had a hard time and many, many, many more than in prior years
had significant depression, had significant anxiety.
And many of my own personal patients attempted suicide and ended up
in the emergency room and inpatient hospitalizations for depression.
That's what we want to prevent.
That's what we're keeping our eye on.
Having them in person, having them be with
each other is the most important thing that we can do for them.
The lack of masks is what allowed
is what creates this opportunity for the virus to spread within the school.
And then we're closing and we're opening and we're closing and we're opening
we did the best we could last year, but we can do better this year.
Thank you.
Hi, Melissa.
Melissa Kaminski, 1518 Brookline Drive Hummelstown.
Thank you all again.
I mean, this is a little brutal,
but I'm so
we've really gotten
to a point where I have seen nothing but parents
and taxpayers who really just want the best for their kids.
And you know what Ben had just mentioned and I know that there's a lot for
there's a lot of against there's a lot of choice.
I really think that we can just come together and try to
to make some solutions, you know, And I understand that we don't really want
to segregate the children in certain ways, but I really don't think it's fair.
And if we truly want to reach every student
and I think we need to make a choice
here, not not choice, black or white mandate, no mandate.
It would be great if you haven't already made up your minds already.
And we do appreciate you spending all these hours
allowing us to express our opinions because a lot of these things
kind of get locked up inside of us and it's really not a good thing.
So I'm kind of hoping that we can get together, maybe.
I don't know.
Maybe brainstorm about different things that we can do, have, you know, have
choice classrooms, have, you know, and see and really see what is good.
I think we're going to a lot of us probably
have some PTSD from some way or another from last year.
And I think when we think about these things, we, you know, remember
the looks on our faces or or in my case, I would go to the grocery store.
I mean, this isn't like my kids, too.
But for me, being a person of the hard of hearing community,
I couldn't hear anybody what anybody said.
You know, really, this isn't about me.
But I would really love to see the community coming together,
you know, really.
I mean, this is really just been a terrible 18 months.
So we can come together and just kind of brainstorm and see what we can do.
You guys got $4 million.
There's a lot that we could do with that, you know, and, you know, maybe just
kind of get together, you know, I guess you guys are all going to do that anyway.
But I just want to say, you know, it doesn't have to be black or white.
You know, it really doesn't, you know, or blue and gray, whatever we're doing
or orange and maybe blue, it doesn't have to be one or the other.
I think I'm really hoping
that we can kind of get together and and just kind of see what we can do.
We've got a little bit of time left.
So if you haven't already made up your minds,
just we can kind of think about that and and see see where it goes.
That's that's really what I would like to see the.
Thank you. Thank you.
Mrs. Book.
Hi everybody.
Amanda book for 58 South for Church Road.
Again, thank you so much for coming out.
I know you guys probably have a lot of other better things to do.
I'm not a stranger up here, so I'm going to cut right to the chase.
I am not for mandatory
mask.
I am for parents choice, guardians choice.
If you guys have decided that you're going to follow the CDC.
So that is that is where I am.
We could talk about degrees. We talk about work.
But you guys want to focus on the CDC.
So that's where I'm going to go.
I from listening to everybody talk, I appreciate it.
I'm listening.
But nobody has actually quoted the CDC.
This is all stuff that I can give you sources for it if you would like.
There's a lot of recommendations that the CDC gives us.
It's recommendations like avoiding eating
raw or undercooked, undercooked food.
So I'm really glad that nobody here eats us.
Sorry My nerves are getting to me
that you don't
eat seafood or medium rare meats.
They don't want you to eat foods that contain undercooked eggs
such as runny eggs if you make your homemade mayonnaise.
And my personal favorite that's coming up soon is eggnog.
Like the CDC does
not want us to partake in eggnog because we can get extremely sick.
Look it up. It's there. They recommend your sleep.
They recommend removing electronic devices such as TVs, computers
and phones from your bedrooms, from your kids bedrooms.
Look it up. It's there.
They also tobacco causes disease and death.
They don't recommend it, obviously.
I'm just throwing it out there.
There's a lot of stuff the CDC recommends and you can already tell
that some of the stuff doesn't apply to you.
They also touch on suicides, affect all ages,
but it's the number two cause for ages 10 to 34.
Do you know what their recommendations were for avoiding suicides?
It was keeping community engagement.
It was keeping normal programs.
Again.
The second leading cause and the first leading cause is not covered.
Look it up.
They recommend breastfeeding your children for at least a year.
Is book.
I'm right on track with the CDC several places.
The CDC website says
they are currently studying the effectiveness of mask material.
They even say COVID 19 droplets can pass through a properly and properly worn mask.
Just kind of like John Miller's science lesson.
It's right on. And it's in the CDC.
They're saying that men should shave their beards.
So I don't know if you're going to recommend that
if any of your teachers or your students do that,
they should shave their beards, They should keep it close to their face.
They even talk about people not wearing mask outside.
They offer guidance and they offer recommendation.
You guys have a health plan that's already in place.
The districts around us have already decided masks are optional,
our kids are precious and they are different.
That is something I've touched on every time that I've stood up here.
We have 10 seconds.
We each have a different health history,
and I don't think it's right that you're mandating this.
I'm for parent choice.
Thank you.
Next on this line.
I. Thank the board for being here.
Thanks for the meeting.
My name is Daryl Patrick, 1258
East Derry Road.
And all due respect to those who wear masks
and those who don't, I have some statistics.
You may want to look at them. You may not. That's fine.
I think
everybody has the ability to make their own decision.
But I checked and you may have heard this, there was an immunologist,
a specialist that went to a school board meeting in Indiana.
It was Mt.
Vernon school board.
His information
that he gave was, number one,
masks do not work.
Number two,
the CDC had paid for three studies
to be made by NIH.
And I came back and said masks do not work.
Why is the CDC mandating
the information that they are?
My question is, and I don't want
to trivialize our children at all.
They say that the possibilities of a child
passing away from COVID is one in a million.
They're more likely to get hit by lightning.
Number two,
there was a study done
by children that were engaged in sports.
Now, this was probably below the age of five.
They took a CO2 level of a young girl
that went to play soccer,
checked her bloodstream.
Several minutes later, she came back.
They checked it again.
The CO2 level in her bloodstream
was multiplied times 12.
What are we doing to these young children's brains
that are still developing, like depleting
the oxygen level in their bloodstream?
That's all I have to say.
You can check the information out on Dr.
Stock,
but that was
this is his specialty, so
good luck with making your decision.
I truly on the fence.
I can see where people want to have their children wear the mask.
And I also, if I still had a child in this school district,
I would recommend my child not to have the mask.
This virus
will be with us for the rest of our life.
We are curtailing 10 seconds,
curtailing the strength of their immune system by wearing a mask.
Thank you. Thank you.
The young lady in the back.
Hello.
My name is Sarah Pruitt.
I live in three, three, three Lamppost Lane,
and I'm speaking behalf of my sister who currently moved here.
Last year
we lived in Texas
and I'm actually studying secondary ed
and history at my college right now.
From what I saw from my sister,
she's been depressed.
She is unhappy with the way things are.
I understand that some people feel like wearing the mask.
You know, I get it.
It's a safety thing,
but I feel like it should be up to the choice of the parent and of the child.
Because from what I studied in my school right now, taking my classes in secondary
ed to hopefully become a teacher one day, interaction is the most important thing.
The facial expression you see on a child is the most important thing.
You will see
missing.
That interaction will deeply affected for the for their future to come.
They'll get used to it and will be like this forever.
And I don't really see this virus going away.
You know, I understand that now they have the
I get the I'm sorry, I'm trying to get my words together. But
if a child is vaccinated.
They should not have to wear a mask anymore.
Even if the child isn't vaccinated, it's up to them.
I understand that.
I see. You know,
doctors giving them some medical advice, but
some children, you know,
it's it's I just feel like we shouldn't be mandating this.
It's hard for kids to interact in school and to go on with their daily lives.
And seeing my sister just rapidly deteriorate over
the past year is really hard for me to watch for.
I, I really want her to make friends this year,
but it's really hard when you have people
isolated in front of her every day and it's hard to watch her.
Like I.
I believe it
should be a choice and that's all I have to say.
Thank you.
The gentleman in the back with us, Henry.
For the event.
My name is Wallace Green.
I sleep at 415 street,
but as my wife can tell you, I spent all my waking hours
pretty much directing the diagnostic neurology lab
and the COVID testing lab at the medical center.
There are a few things I really want to stress.
Mainly, this Delta virus is terrible.
It's much worse than what we saw last year.
A lot of what we got got us by last year and stuff is not going to work.
It is far more contagious.
It does cause breakthrough infections and vaccinated people.
I know of.
I'm up here in an N95 mask for a reason.
My daughter in law, who's a physician at the hospital,
is going to give me another grandson in December.
Pregnant women
are more susceptible to this virus.
There is one,
a friend of ours who in the hospital
fully vaccinated
third trimester, and she's in the hospital with COVID.
So it does happen.
There are breakthrough infections.
Fortunately, fortunately, there's not a lot of them, but it does happen.
And in my lab we can
we can titer the amount of virus in the sample.
So I know how much virus is in there.
It is a thousand fold.
What we saw last year
for most of these specimens, not just some them, most of them,
this is a much, much, much worse virus.
And there are many studies showing that masks do work.
And we've got to be very careful where we get our information.
The one low hanging fruit, there is a comment
about some of the PCR test
calls react with flu 100%.
Not true.
In my lab we have seven different PCR tests.
Had to do that
just to get enough material to test everybody because the demand was so high.
That is absolutely impossible.
It just can't happen.
These don't even cross react.
The common coronaviruses we see every year,
it causes cold in the wintertime,
so there is no possible way it can cross-reactive with flu.
That just does not happen.
And the other thing I'd like to point out, I my my son is an elementary
teacher here and my wife
substitutes a lot in the very township.
And we saw this last year.
There's an outbreak.
Kids get quarantined, enough teachers get sick and we're back to virtual.
Okay.
We talked a lot about your school to be a choice.
Well, there's really not a choice that the mask will help delay
and protect someone against an outbreak
without a mask.
We're going to spend a lot more time, a lot quicker
in virtual.
It's seconds.
Black and white, and you can see this playing out.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dr.
Green.
Next to the audience.
Well,
go ahead.
Hi, my name is Kathy Burris,
163 high point drive in Hummelstown.
I'm just going to read what I have here,
requiring our children to wear a mask
for 35 hours a week
with no plans to give them breaks from their masks to breathe normally.
This is a very serious undertaking with a potential to harm children.
I asked for some
research studies used by the band, the pandemic team here to determine
if masking for this amount of time can harm children.
I have always been concerned
if kids can be harmed,
especially when they're doing athletic activities with the masks.
Always since it's been mandated.
All last year
you didn't provide any studies.
I actually was able to find a study, which I think was the same one that
Kip spoke up.
It was done in Europe
recently, and it's surveyed 25,000 children.
The impairments that were noted
and the study that children reported included 60% of them
had irritability, 53% had headaches,
difficulty concentrating,
49% had less happiness, 44% with reluctance
to go to school, 42% with malaise
and 38% with impaired learning,
also 37% with drowsiness or fatigue.
In my own household,
I just don't feel like there's enough people
talking about their kids and how they felt about their their symptoms.
My my younger son had headaches all the time last year,
and that was only two days a week going with the mask.
My my older son, who's plays basketball for Hershey,
said that he just.
Would sweat.
Profusely when they had practice with the mask
and then he just could not breathe.
It was almost impossible for him to.
To play his sport.
Ridiculous.
I just
I understand that these meetings are not set up for questions.
But I really do have to ask, With no emergency declaration in place
from the governor or the Pennsylvania Department of Health, what a.
Are you able to mandate that my children wear a mask
for 35 hours a week while receiving their in-person education?
Who gives you this authority?
Lastly, I'd like to comment on our high school students.
These students are not stupid.
They know that the public health agencies have given
contradictory information and guidance all through the pandemic.
These adults have been able to research and form their own opinions about masking
and may go against a mask mandate this school year.
They put up with this last year,
but wearing a mask for 35 hours a week is a whole new scenario.
What accommodations will be made.
For these. Students? Your time is up.
Thank you.
Jennifer.
Friends 322 Coco Avenue,
Thank you for reconsidering your health and safety
plan to wear masks for K through 12 students.
I'd like to remind folks that the reason there is no mandate for masks
is because during the primary election, the governor was stripped
from that power by the legislature.
There was a referendum on the ballot.
He can only declare a mandate for 21 days.
So that's why there's no current mandate.
My nine year olds cannot be vaccinated, so I'm much more comfortable
with them attending school with masks on.
We did virtual last year because
we didn't want them in the school
and now we're going to send them
and we haven't reached herd immunity.
So that's why we need masks.
We were told we could take our mask off
once we reached herd immunity and we're simply not at those numbers yet.
So I understand the need for masks.
I appreciate the school's reconsideration and thank you very much.
Thank you. Yes.
Christopher Corona, 20 107
Red Fox Drive, Thomastown.
I'd like to point out.
So I asked the question, what what areas of the world are doing best
in the past year and a half with the situation
we can look in Europe, we can see Sweden
basically no lockdowns,
no masks for children in schools, similar situation
in most of the surrounding countries.
Spain, disaster, harsh lockdown,
other countries in Europe, France disaster, harsh lockdown
in the United States.
What states have done the best?
South Dakota, basically no lockdown.
Florida opened up to everybody, surprised
it wasn't the bubonic plague.
Let's follow best practices to keep people healthy.
Not theoretical medicine,
not stuff based off a theory.
We can look at.
What are other places doing successfully?
Common sense standpoint.
Cloth masks don't make any sense.
And from the standpoint of the evidence,
the actual evidence worldwide, it doesn't make any sense either.
Thank you. Thank you.
Is there anyone else in person in the audience who would like to speak
seeing then, Mr.
Swiger, could we please move back to the attendees participating?
Virtually.
We currently 18 hands raised.
We'll start with Walter Payton.
Thank you, Mr.
Payton.
Just as a reminder, once you're unmuted, please state your name and address.
For the record,
Describe.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
My name is Walter Payton.
I live at 858 Fishburn Road and I'd like to thank the board
for reconsidering the mandate and I'm speaking in support of masking.
We have two children in Derry Township schools.
I'm a biochemist and I was trained.
I had my postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health.
And while we'll be really hard to follow the commentary made by Dr.
Green earlier, I'd like to point out some specific things for for individuals
consideration of expertise in protein biochemistry.
While all of us could consider what the structure of the protein
spikes look like on the coronavirus and probably draw them from memory,
there are some things that we basically need to consider.
The virus is not a living entity,
but by a process that I'll simply call a tight, binding event.
The virus is provided with the opportunity
to replicate, to reproduce, and in that
that virus has the opportunity to mutate and it will do that.
The more opportunities it gets to bind and reproduce
very simply, we need to do everything possible
to keep that virus out of our noses and out of our lungs.
Thank you for your time this evening.
Thank you.
Next, we have Brian McGowan.
Good evening.
Brian McGowan, 25 two, Massey Drive in Hummelstown.
I'm here with my wife, Kate.
We are the parents of three children, all under the ages of ten
and both in the Hershey Elementary School as well as the S.E.C..
First off, we want to thank the school board
for your leadership over the last year and a half,
as well as for your invitation to
to the community here to participate in this dialog.
I will just be quick and state that we are for the revision as offered.
The facts supporting this have been offered by my colleagues
throughout the medical community.
Both my wife and I are physicians at the medical center.
Those facts surround the highly transmissible
nature of the Delta variant, the child to child transmission that is occurring,
including in the daycare center where our children do attend,
as well as the fact that masks do work.
And masks are safe.
I will just sort of
close with one of my colleagues who is a pediatric intensivist.
The Children's Hospital here in Hershey
wrote to me recently and said that there is no way
that any pediatric intensive care unit in the country has the capacity to flex up
to accommodate an onslaught of critically ill children, end quote.
Now, we may not get to that point,
but my wife and I sure would like to not gamble on that possibility.
Our children are not a cost benefit analysis,
and the aforementioned example of Florida as a success story
is contrary to any kind of factual reality.
And we we appreciate, again, the ability to speak to you.
Thank you.
Next, we have Guy Townsend.
Hi, my name is Guy Townsend.
I live at 1061 Greenlee Road in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
And have a daughter entering third grade this year.
And I'm a scientist and a faculty member at the Penn State College of Medicine.
And I just want to
weigh in very briefly to say that
you should all listen to these physicians who have called in tonight,
spent their time imploring you to agree to mask your children,
because when inevitably we are
kids or parents or spouses get sick with this virus,
you are going to be begging them, begging them to save these people.
And we should listen to them now
if we're ever going to listen to them.
Thank you. Good night.
Let's thank you.
Next, we have Sarah Ryan.
Hello.
We can hear you.
Okay. Please go ahead.
Thank you.
This is Sarah Ryan from 50 Cedar Avenue.
We have heard from physicians with expertise in directly related areas
who have all endorsed the plan to require universal, universal masking in school.
The CDC and AARP recommend universal universal masking in schools.
Another commenter reported multiple other associations.
Also.
Support universal masking with children,
accounting for 15 of new COVID cases in Pennsylvania.
We definitely need to take action.
Requiring masks is the least we can do is having to wear
masks different and sometimes totally annoying? Yes.
Should we include more outdoor
time for students and faculty so they can take mask breaks?
Probably having to wear masks.
Worse than having more outbreaks that require kids to stay home more.
No, absolutely not.
Most parents want their kids in school full time, including myself,
but as safely as possible, masking is the simplest solution.
In a previous board meeting and again this evening,
the literature review article was cited as showing negative impacts for masking.
I read it. It's blatantly biased.
The authors initiated bias, literature, research, and even with that
skewed search, only 1% of their studies reported negative impacts from masks,
yet reported the finding, though they were the overwhelming majority.
We should not even consider studies like this.
Meanwhile, the evidence
that masking helps prevent the spread of all airborne diseases.
Continues. To grow. Last year.
With extreme mitigation efforts, we had relatively low.
That's significant of children affected by COVID.
These mitigation efforts included physical distancing,
universal masking and occasional all virtual school days this year,
with a more transmission transmissible variant in the community.
The least we can do is require masks, while masks high
part of our faces that do not hide our eyes or bodies.
Which.
Account for much of our nonverbal communication.
Our children are resilient and understand why
wearing masks help protect their friends and their community.
I support the plan to require universal universal masking while at school
and that empathy for those who will need to wear a mask all day,
including my own daughter.
And I urge students and faculty
to bring extra measures to changes needed throughout the day and for the school
to allow extra outdoor time for physically distance, fresh air and hydration.
The evidence
supports requiring masks for a while and or at school.
I support the plan to require masks.
Thank you.
Next, we have Rich Gamble.
Mr. Campbell, it looks like you're still on me.
How about now?
Okay. Yes.
Yes Okay.
My name is Richard Gamble, 39, Hopkinsville Road, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
I want to thank the board for taking the proactive approach
to new crisis we're experiencing.
When I like to back up in time a little bit.
You, February, March, April and May,
we were on a road to recovery.
Since that time that
passed.
We are now back on the road to another crisis.
I say you guys are doing a great job, don't get me wrong,
but I think we as a community need to put the responsibility
back on the federal government who basically
organized this type of an invasion with the new variants.
It's just it's not the country. In Mexico.
We immigrants coming in from all around.
Mr. Campbell, just a reminder to please stay on topic
to the health and safety plan. Understood.
I'm talking about health and safety.
This that is regrowing
as a result of poor leadership.
You're taking a proactive leadership role to prevent further death.
I appreciate that.
But we got to put it back on the people that had the authority and had the ability
to control the invasion of this pandemic again.
And I blame it on the federal government not following the own your own guidelines.
Like I say, this pandemic,
this variance is not within the United States did not originate here.
It came from other global communities.
So I hope we keep that in mind.
This Happened when I was back in 1973.
I was asked to participate in me basically
when we brought in the Vietnam veterans and Vietnam refugees.
First thing I said was to them, We need to vaccinate them.
And my response was their response to me was we don't have the to do it.
Back in 1970, kids were not getting smallpox vaccinations anymore.
Today we are.
So word of advice.
Let's put the responsibility where it goes.
Your job is difficult enough.
But if we could eliminate some of the immigration is taking place
without having.
To put on. Busses that are shipped all around this country.
So who do we have to blame for that?
Not you, the leaders. Thank you.
Thank Mr.
Gamble.
Whether it right.
Away. At this point.
At this point, we have 14 hands raised and the next person is
Junior Lewis,
can you hear me now?
Yes, Thank you.
State your name and address for the record.
My name is Junior Lewis.
At 199, Cherry Drive Horseshoe Pie.
This masking is totally unnecessary.
It's been. Proven this.
I'm actually going to stop you
because I do know that is a false name and address that you're providing.
So I'm going to ask you to please provide your correct name and address, or
I will ask Mr.
Swiger to just continue this.
Sorry, but that's my name.
If you guys don't want to hear this, then that's it.
Mr. Eckman, please state your name and address for the record
and begin to proceed with your or I will ask to move on to the next.
He has just
he has disconnected from the zoom
card.
Next speaker is Tony speak.
Hi, my name is Tony Speight.
I live at 428 West Caracas Avenue, Hershey.
So I just wanted to talk today first and thank the school board
for reconsidering their plan for the school year.
I have a Ph.D.
in integrative and biomedical physiology and have experience reading the research
articles and understanding which ones are legitimate
and a
and not bias with their
with their results that they're reporting out.
And the science shows that masks work.
The science shows that social distancing works.
And I understand that the school board is under certain limitations
with what the schools are able to do with social distancing.
But somebody earlier was reporting about other countries and states
that did much better despite not having lockdowns.
But that's because the population density
is much lower in those countries, in those locations.
So what the CDC recommends is if we're not able
to have the proper social distancing, which is shown to work,
then the next best item that we can do is mask
specifically in those that are too young to be vaccinated.
I have three young children, five and under,
so we'll be starting in kindergarten this year.
We luckily didn't have to worry about this last year,
but it's extremely worrisome to me
that we're not doing everything that we can to keep our children safe.
There's already enough that we have to worry about.
I think as parents, everybody is in agreement.
We want to do everything that's best for our children.
Their masks are showing that the amount of CO2
and the amount of O2 that be transmitted in between them
is not significant, which means there is no difference.
It is not a barrier to being able to breathe oxygen.
If it were then surgeons wouldn't be wearing them for 12
plus hours while they perform your surgery.
And I think that what we need to do is follow the advice of the CDC.
The CDC is a government agency that spent about $5 billion in research.
They have the scientists, the the physicians that have the expertise.
And we can't pick and choose when we believe science.
Science is in a belief. They are facts.
They are backed up by data.
They are backed up by research.
And I think that the school board needs
to be able to to back up their decision
by following what the experts are recommending.
You wouldn't go to a five star restaurant and order
the most expensive meal on on the menu and then tell the chef how to prepare it.
No. You trust their expertise
to to do what you're paying them for.
We should be trusting the the scientists and the physicians with the expertise
in recommending what is the best option in a public health crisis
of note.
I know that the biggest thing that everybody wants to do
is get our kids back in school.
I agree that there's probably much higher rates of depression.
You're at 3 minutes. I'm sorry.
All right. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Just as a reminder to the in-person audience to please refrain
from commenting during the virtual one.
Next, we have Ashley Aversa.
Can you hear me?
Yes, thank you.
Please go ahead with your name and address for the record.
Hi, my name is Ashley Arvizo and I live at 125
Highland Road in Hershey.
I just wanted to say
I'm so thankful for all the doctors and medical professionals who've spoken.
I myself am not a doctor.
I'm an artist.
So I would just like to.
Take. A moment to speak in layman's terms.
Please vote yes on this matter until my seven and ten year old can get vaccinated.
I'm tired of my kids wearing
masks just like everyone else, and it makes me feel awful.
But that doesn't mean that this is over.
And it also isn't forever.
This is not forever.
Masks are better than nothing.
And when we can get vaccinated, when we can get children vaccinated,
I feel at that point, you know,
let's have a community bonfire and that's completely fine.
But it's just not fair for my kids to come into school
and they don't have the opportunity to get vaccinated.
And to not have people.
Advocating for. Them.
And I've heard it mentioned as a counterpoint
to taking the CDC's word to heart that they suggest to not eat raw.
Dough.
If Rido could cause a communicable disease.
That point would be valid, but currently raw.
No. Doesn't attack your vascular system.
If it's here to
stay, at least mask until my kids can get vaccinated.
And at that point, yes, let's move on with our lives.
We're all sick of this.
I mean, this has been incredibly I can't believe that we're still here.
Last year, I chose to homeschool my children and I cannot tell you how
deeply excited they are to return this year
and to see their friends and to be back in the building with
and just be reminded that other kids are out there.
But I just it scares me.
Having them come in vulnerable.
So thank you so much for your time.
Thank you for listening to all of us.
And I respect everybody's point of view.
But, you know, this is just from a scared.
So thank you again.
Thank you very much.
I do just want to say there's 11 or 12 folks.
So with their hands raised and we have under 30 minutes
until the conclusion of the public comment period.
So I would just ask that folks be mindful of that as you begin.
Next, we have Melanie Trauger.
Hi, Can you hear me?
Yes, thank you.
Oh, thank you so much. I will keep this very short.
Melanie Traver, 910 EP and Zell Hummelstown.
I was previously a researcher at NIH.
I'm currently a researcher at Penn State College of Medicine.
And I just first of all, we just moved here.
I thank you.
This is my first school board meeting since moving to Derry Township.
And it's an incredibly important one.
So I appreciate the opportunity to talk.
I am in favor of the revision
and all of this input tonight has been very helpful.
I appreciate the emotional input that's been given,
but especially the input from the pediatricians and physicians
that are directly interacting and children with coronavirus
and the psychological effects of COVID
masking and so forth.
There's been some fantastic input, lots of facts.
But there's one overarching fact
that has come out tonight based on everyone speaking,
and that is that children under the age of 12
don't have the opportunity or the choice to be vaccinated.
And one of the speakers who was against the revision
actually said he is wide open to choice.
And unfortunately, those children under 12 do not have that choice.
And until they have that choice, I think that we have the
the responsibility
to keep them safe, to do whatever we can, that we can ask them to
mask, we can get them to mask, to keep them safe.
And then once they have the opportunity to vaccinate, maybe we can rethink this.
But until then, I think it is our responsibility as parents
and people that are just generally over overseeing
help the well-being of children to make sure that they are kept safe.
So that's really all I had to say.
So thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Thank you very much.
Next, we have Gina Galindo.
Hello, my name is Gina Galindo.
I live at 2 to 4 Lee Arden Road here in Hershey, P.A..
I just wanted to speak for a moment to you folks and give you some insight
about how the process worked last year.
We started out with
virtual, and
then we moved to for my children, both my children, and in service,
because my kids really struggled to
to keep up with their their studies while they were doing virtual.
So when my kids moved back into session,
they had to wear the masks.
My son has, a medical condition.
He has a breathing problem.
Masking for him was not healthy for him, but he was not doing well at home.
So we sacrificed and we sent anyway.
You know, he had to struggle during sports.
He had to wear the mask on for sports.
Still, once again, he couldn't breathe.
He's complaining, Mom, I have headaches. I don't feel well.
I'm nauseous. Like,
these are the types of things there's certain kids that can't wear masks.
What are we going to do to advocate for those kids
or are we going to against those kids and force them to go into masks anyway
or force them to stay at home because they don't do well at virtual?
My daughter had a different problem.
My daughter got so depressed she wanted to harm herself.
She didn't want to talk to anybody.
She didn't want to look at anybody. I couldn't get her out of bed
in the morning.
Like, we struggled so hard with her.
We get her back in school and we didn't even see any
any positive attributes of her
being back in session because she couldn't see anybody.
She couldn't talk to anybody like she couldn't interact with anyone.
And the teachers that were there, God bless their souls
they were trying to teach to the teacher, like on the screen, to the class,
on the screen, and really did not interact with the kids in session.
So thank for having everybody come in session.
I choose for Parents Choice.
It's not a cookie cutter thing.
Not one size fits all for everybody.
You know, I understand everybody's advocacy
for the younger students that cannot get it, that's fine.
What's our end game?
Where can we
We come back with Mass.
Okay, so then
when the younger kids can get vaccinated, can we then go without masks?
But what are we going to do?
Or is there going to be some kind of exception
for those students like my daughter, who now has anxiety issues
and my son who has breathing issues?
Is there going to be something we can do for those types
of kids that no one's asking and advocating for?
This virus is not going away.
It's going to be here with us for the rest of our lives.
Yes, it is a serious, serious virus.
It's going around.
It's going to be around every year like the flu and colds.
So we just need to learn to live with it.
And, you know, just keep advocating
for having a healthy immune system and everybody take care of everyone.
Thank you. All school boards. Thank you for all your hard work.
Thank you for your moment tonight.
And have a nice evening.
Thank you very.
Much.
Next, we have August Stewart.
Hello.
This is actually Devin Stewart, my husband.
August is also right here on I live at 62
Tice Avenue in Hershey.
I want to second all the excellent
points that have been made by those who are in favor,
the mandatory masks for students in school this year.
And I'm a medical illustrator as it's a specialized medical communicator.
I mean educational tools that are related to the vaccines and.
COLVIN So I'm informed about this disease.
But I wanted to
talk today
about personal experience with masks.
My daughter had a neighborhood friend
and my daughter, who's going to be 11 next week.
Last summer, we allowed her to play with the neighborhood friend
in the backyard with masks and social distancing.
It turned out that her friend contracted
COVID and actually first complained of symptoms
when she was in our backyard and was tested the next day.
And it turned out to be positive.
And my daughter did not contract COVID
and nobody in our family got it.
But Everybody in their household, it ran through there.
So I just wanted to communicate that experience,
that masking worked in that case.
Masking also worked when I was able this past February
to visit my father in the hospital as he lay dying of COVID.
I was able to don full PPE at that time
and spend hours with him
talking with him before he died, which was a gift.
So I just wanted to share my personal experience
that the masking and these mitigation methods,
while they are imperfect, they are effective.
And that's what I wanted to share.
So I'm in favor of the masking, and I feel safer
sending my two children to school this year.
If the masks are mandatory.
Thank you.
Next, we have over to connect.
Hi, everyone.
Can you hear me?
Yes, thank you.
Hi, it's Erica.
Kind of you and I'm at 1201 Stone Gate Road,
and I'm an assistant professor at Penn State, Harrisburg.
I teach and conduct research in psychology and public health.
And I'm also a mom to a five year old who's starting kindergarten this year.
I'm not going to
repeat what a lot of people said already.
What I do want to know is that, yes, we did have a lot of doctors
that called in, and these doctors have been working 80 hour weeks to.
Keep people safe.
And to treat them.
And so I think it's really important
to note that they felt it was important to call in
and support universal masking.
So I think that that's one thing I want to mention.
The other thing I want to mention is there's been a lot of talk about
facial expressions and nonverbal cues.
And as a mom to a son who is autistic, I understand that intimately.
But I can tell you that my son is attending a private school,
Regina school, and not doing they're experts in treating autism
and they are mandating masks.
So what does that tell you?
That tells you that they believe that in-person teaching
is more important than you know.
Then focusing on the lack of facial expressions
and other people have mentioned that eyes, etc..
There are other ways to get your point across.
The last thing I want to mention is that there's been a lot of talk about fear.
And I.
I understand that scared.
I'm scared of COVID 19.
I'm scared for my unvaccinated children.
And fear is a basic emotion that all humans share.
It evolved to keep us alive and away from danger.
Fear primes us to either freeze, fight or flee.
So do we freeze, in the face of danger and say that nothing
can be done to protect our kids? Or do we fight?
Do we plan to face the issue head on and make the right decision?
I want what everyone here.
Wants to.
Keep our kids safe and to keep them in. School.
And if we want to achieve both those things, we need to trust
the recommendations and support universal masking.
It is the very least this board can do to keep our kids
physically, socially and emotionally healthy and alive.
Thank you.
At this point, we have nine hands raised
and the next person is labeled as Jen.
Good evening.
My name is Jennifer Hudgens.
I live at 218 Cocoa Avenue.
I'm I wanted to speak in of the masking.
My children attend the elementary school and do not have the option
for that extra layer of protection that the vaccine provides.
I am very concerned about their safety
in getting COVID.
Should the should we move forward with an optional.
In addition
to me being concerned for them, I'm concerned for myself.
I fall within the high risk category and I am a single parent.
I have no resources locally to assist me
should my household contract COVID
and if my parents or my brother wanted to assist.
They are all high risk as well.
In addition to that, I am the sole provider for my family.
I cannot afford to go on extended sick
leave to take care of my children and myself.
Should we contract COVID?
I would not have the ability to support my family.
My kids have been attending summer camp all summer.
They have been wearing masks.
They have had no complaints.
They joyously go and spend time with their friends every day.
In fact, when I go to pick them up after 8 hours,
8 hours at summer camp, they groan and don't want to leave.
I think it's all in a mindset.
My kids did virtual schooling last year.
They did not enjoy it.
My son was in kindergarten
and he he learned.
But was not successful.
He did not do well.
It was a struggle and it was impossible for me to help him
because, as I said, I, I work, I provide for my family.
And I was trying to
juggle working a demanding
full time job while simultaneously
assisting them with their virtual schooling and zoom lessons.
It was not working and it was not going well.
I put them back in person last year after I was able to get my vaccine.
I felt comfortable in sending them because the children
were all still masked at school at that time.
My kids blossomed.
They did wonderful.
My kindergartner with his mask on every day did great.
He did so much better.
And his learning escalated tremendously.
So that is my position.
I definitely support masking for the health and safety
and financial security of my family.
Thank you.
Next, we have Rajeev Kumar.
Hi, Can you hear me?
Yes, thank. You.
Thank You school board for the difficult job that you are doing.
Hello.
Would you please state your address for the record before you begin?
Yes. My name is Rajeev Kumar.
I live at 997 Powderhorn Drive in Hummelstown
and I wanted to thank the board and everyone who participated.
I feel blessed to live in a community where so many physicians and
experts are here.
So thank you for everything.
I wanted to bring out one point, which is has been touched
upon earlier just now for exceptional cases.
Right.
So I have a son who is asthmatic and.
I don't feel comfortable for him to
go to school.
And last year he did virtual schooling.
But this year there is no choice to do virtual.
We have the COLA, which does not provide the same education support
which live session with the teacher does.
So my question is that why are we taking that choice away?
Why are we not providing the option for virtual for kids
to zoom in to the classrooms so that they can talk to their friends?
And that option will probably meet the requirement
for both sides of this argument today.
Those who do not want to feel comfortable sending their kids class
because they can not wear mask or those who can wear a mask.
Also, I strongly recommend and request the school board
to consider that option of allowing kids to opt for virtual schooling
through Zoom or other options
where they are being educated by the teacher that they have known
and they know if a couple of months later things improve.
They would love to go back to the classroom.
But the kill option does not provide that.
It has to be by trimester or trimester.
So once again, my vote is to go with full masking.
But in addition to that, I would ask the school board to consider
allowing the virtual option like we had last year.
Thank you.
I do see that we still have eight hands raised
and about 10 minutes until we are going to cap the.
Actually, we just dropped down to seven, 10 minutes until the end.
Several the individuals if you've shared links on Zoom,
your name is showing up as the original person who signed in.
So if you
please be mindful of renaming yourself so we know if it's separate individuals,
but we will take no more hands raised beyond the names
that are there right now and begin working our way through this, please.
Next we have Yvonne Hodgkinson.
You may go ahead and unmute everything single.
We hear me.
Yes. Thank you.
Who could you please state your name and address for the record? Oh,
certainly.
My name's Yvonne Hodgkinson. I'm at 1415.
What happened?
Drive Hummelstown and I just want to say good evening
and thank you all for allowing me this time to speak.
We take up too much time.
As I said it.
Currently I have four children in the school district,
one in elementary, two in middle and one in high school.
And last year I chose the fully virtual learning.
Option for my children.
And it had, to put it mildly, a pretty negative
impact in their attitudes overall approach to learning and.
Life in general.
During that time, I was able to instill in my kids the concept.
That one must protect you and your mask protects me.
And I taught them that wearing a mask is a form respect in
keeping with the tenets of treating others the way you want them to treat you.
And it works so far.
You know, they told me it's a minor inconvenience. But.
Small price to pay if it gets them out with their friends. Again,
COVID numbers are declining.
I have to send my kids back
this upcoming school year for all in-person learning, because
honestly, I didn't think morale wise they could handle another virtual year.
But this new Delta
variant of COVID, it's a whole type of beast.
And what we were up against a year ago.
It started sending all my kids, especially my two youngest,
who are too young
to be vaccinated into an environment where no matter how religiously
they wear their masks and social distance, do all the things to protect
others, those elders aren't willing to do the same for them.
Return. Well, that really scares me.
Asking works, but it only when everyone does it.
And I'm not a scientist or doctor, health care professional.
Not even a lanternfly expert.
That's the mother.
And the mother is terrified that the.
Most vulnerable.
In my household.
Could go to school and contract a deadly.
Yet preventable disease because of something
as simple as their parents not feeling like wearing a mask at. All.
And respectfully, I feel as though this board has a responsibility.
To protect the most vulnerable among us by making sure.
That the safety plan is a living.
Document that can flex to address the changing COVID levels in our community.
We respond. By applying appropriate.
Countermeasures include things like masking,
you know, the health and well-being of all our children depend on it.
So I guess in closing this, please vote to follow more.
Closely the CDC guidance on. Masking social.
Distancing, handwashing. And contact tracing.
That's all I have.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Next, we have Mallory Gillespie.
Hello.
Hi. Could you please state your name?
Address for the record?
Hi, this is Emma Grody.
I'm sorry if there's background music and not.
Music, but it's background noise.
But I'm a junior.
I speak from 20 to 70 for a common way.
I want to thank the.
Board for giving students. Like me a voice.
And I'd like to thank
my fellow classmates for stepping up and using their voice as well.
I just want to express my opinion on the.
Decision of.
Face masks mandatory for the 2021 2022 school year.
I personally think that it isn't fair that the school doesn't
have the option for masks to be optional like other schools in our district.
And I think the choice will only bring negatives in the future.
I believe that everyone has a choice and.
An opinion,
and I think the school should honor that and make masks optional for students.
Mental Health Impact
of Masks on Schools.
I feel like is.
Overlooked.
Sometimes.
Hearing that masks were mandatory for this school year
just added one more burden to carry on my back
a whole year long with
along with all the other emotional hardships.
I think if you choose to enforce this, the outcome will not be what you want
and settle.
It will be keeping the. Instead of.
Keeping the community safe, it will tear it apart, causing mass chaos
and people who want to rebel against the and not be disrespectful
but fight for themselves.
We have a strong, opinionated, big hearted group of students
ready to fight for a well-deserved year and underclassmen school experience.
More people want masks.
Off and back on,
and I believe that'll make the school year a lot better and tolerable for everyone.
If the mask mandate is optional.
I appreciate I appreciate. You giving me the voice to talk.
Thank you.
Could you please state your name just one more time?
We didn't get that at the beginning.
My name is Ian McGroarty.
I'm a junior.
I saw that.
Could you just spell your last name, please?
Sorry.
You're not registered through a link you signed up for.
So we just want to make sure the minutes are accurate.
Ian, I a and majority. M.C.
g. R.
O r. T y.
Thank you very much. And.
Yep, thank you.
Have a good. Night.
Next we have christina payne.
Hi, my name is Christina Payne.
I live at 1263 Denmark Court in Turkey.
I just want to say I have four kids that are in the Hershey School district.
Last year, three of them were 100% virtual.
And the kids want to go back to school.
We to wear a mask this only way that the kids are going to be safe.
And I understand that it's. It's it's.
An inconvenience.
And I understand that it's it's frustrating.
But especially for the younger kids who can't get vaccinated,
they have to wear masks full time.
And my daughter tonight, she said to me, what are you doing?
And I said, I'm watching the meeting.
They're trying to figure out what's going on with the school
so you can get back to school. You know what, may I ask?
And she said, Mommy, I hope we wear masks.
I want to go back to school.
My daughter is nine.
These kids aren't stupid.
These younger kids know what's going on.
All these kids know what's going on.
They want to get back. And they to learn.
But they also want to be safe.
These kids are scared.
The parents are scared,
but they also want to be healthy in the process.
And I support 100% having these younger kids
and all the kids go back to school wearing masks this year.
And hopefully, if that's not the option, maybe open up the virtual again
like you did last year.
My kids did wonderful with it.
The teachers engaged and they learned a lot.
My one kid is in kindergarten.
He's going in the first grade and he did wonderful.
So we need to have some kind of option.
And these parents that are against it and understand that we're just
looking out for our kids and we're trying to keep them as safe and as healthy
and we're trying to make sure that their life goes back
to somewhat normal because there's no normal right now.
None of us have normalcy.
But if we can all wear masks, all do our part,
you know, maybe, you know, maybe 20, 22, we'll be able to get there.
And I just want to say believe there is township is a wonderful school district.
You guys are wonderful for the kids.
And I hope you listen to the parents who are for masks and do the right thing.
Thank you.
Next, we have Mallory Gillespie.
I believe this is again one where the link was shared.
So if you could please be sure to slowly clearly
state your name and address prior to beginning.
Yes. This is Mallory Gillespie.
I live at 141 Hawthorne Drive.
Thank you. Yes. Gloves?
Yes, Thank you.
This gloves. The Gillespie.
You actually
spoke during this public comment period at the very beginning, correct?
I did, yes.
Okay.
And unfortunately,
we you're only permitted to speak at one time during a public comment session.
And so you would have to wait until the next public comment session after the
new business items in order to speak again.
Okay.
All righty.
That's thank you.
Okay.
You know.
Next we have.
Kelly House.
Gang to the.
It's the final two.
Two more. We cut.
We cut it off.
It's 9:00.
If you want to cut it off, I.
I can just give that time.
Okay.
Go ahead and state your name and address for the record.
And please begin calling house 1044
and I'll drive in Hummelstown.
I just wanted to provide a little bit of information
for some people that have
shared some things.
They're concerned.
So one of them is that cloth masks are effective.
But I just want to make clear that the studies
showing their effective have been done in children's
classrooms using the masks, the children use them real world, including U.K.,
Australia, Michigan and Wisconsin.
There have been no well-designed studies showing that most are harmful to kids.
A couple of came out recently.
One was retracted because the authors couldn't
explain their study design when they were challenged by other experts.
And the other mentioned by someone earlier tonight regarding
headaches and fatigue In German, students had a large disclaimer
explaining reasons The study authors conclusions were invalidated
because of multiple significant biases in how that study was performed.
Regarding physical safety,
there was a concern about carbon dioxide tonight, but there was.
I haven't seen any reputable studies on that.
There was a study before
COVID in 2019 evaluating effects of 95 masks on children and.
They found no clinically relevant changes in resting heart rate, respiratory
rate, blood, oxygen levels or carbon dioxide levels between mast and not mast.
And that study was actually intended to evaluate whether masks
with a fan were superior to N95 masks without a fan,
but they found no clinically relevant differences.
With respect to masks
and mental health, it's
hard to listen to.
The stories that are being told tonight.
What I hear appears
to be more focused on isolation impacts.
And so I think a large reason universal masking
was being considered tonight is to help families feel more comfortable
sending their kids
to school versus remote learning where they will be more isolated.
And especially for the youngest learners, where in-person is preferred
and reducing time spent quarantining for those that attend in person
because of being close contact.
And so they're therefore kept in the classroom where
it's a school
environment where we can expect extra measures are in place
to make sure kids are safe and their families are safe.
Just like I have to get a background check before I'm able
to visit school to protect other people's kids.
Obviously not my own.
So thank you for your time tonight.
Thank you for this consideration and I hope that you will
approve universal masking.
Thank you very much.
And our final participant, Kristi Parker.
Hi there.
Are you able to hear me?
Yes, thank you.
Please state your name and address.
Yeah, my name is Kristi Parker.
I live at 167 South Hanover Street, Hummelstown.
Good evening to everybody.
I just want to thank everyone for their opinions.
I think certainly it's not the goal to agree.
That's certainly never the goal.
It's just important to be able to voice our opinions.
I do also advocate for the choice.
I think it's extremely important.
What concerns me most is I do think that it's extremely important
to worry about, you know, what scientists, what the facts are.
But I think there are many things that people like myself would say
maybe are not science, and they're being taught
things that have become civil rights issues that, you know,
not all of us we would hold to more of a biblical view.
And so not all of us necessarily go along with the science that you all say.
I'm a mother of two.
My kids are you know,
one is a junior, one is a senior, one is starting college year.
And you know what?
We've raised that my husband and I are not not well-educated
and we've raised them with no issues, you know, and we're not experts.
So and all of us have been very fortunate not to get the virus.
So I just would advocate for choice.
I also would just like to say that, you know, one of the things that we encounter
this past school year was our youngest daughter is a stellar student.
She's always been a very good student.
She's been an honor classes.
And, you know, I get the ideas, the virus.
I know that the virus is very scary to people.
But I do think that there are lots of studies
that talk about what it's like to live in fear.
I don't think that it's healthy.
I think all of us know that.
But I also would like to say that, you know, during her time
in this past school year, you know, she had some trouble.
She had the lowest GPA that she's ever had, lowest
GPA for an honor student.
And one of the teachers that we had
was was a fellow student that we had my husband and I in high school.
And, you know, of all teachers that gave her the benefit of the doubt
and helped her out, she was the only one who did not.
So I think the mental health component is extremely important.
I think that it's something that we all really need
to think a little bit harder about.
I know that there was a student that I wouldn't mention her name,
but I know there was a family from Hershey Medical Center who attended our church
and heard their daughter committed suicide.
There were many suicides in that year within Palmyra
and Hershey and Lower Dauphin, and I think we're forgetting that.
I it's extremely important to remember that that is not a small thing.
And the last part is just about humanity.
When we when we're this mass, you're right.
We can see eyes and, bodies and everything else, but you can't see smiles.
You can't see any of those things.
You all know that you are.
Several of you have children.
Would you like your child to wear a mask at home?
Of course not. It's ridiculous.
And the last thing I guess that you have one more thing.
The last thing. And I would hope that you don't cut me off.
The gentleman that was kind of stuck in,
the gentleman that was talking about immigration.
What I'd like to say about that is this.
I'm sorry to hear that again.
It is.
It's three minute sorry.
Please don't waste my time. It is.
I am not wasting your time.
I was glad I did reach 3 minutes and I would welcome you to continue
at the next public comment session after they would ask for my 10 seconds back.
Please. You cut me off.
It's 10 seconds.
But you were speaking about it.
Immigration, which has not been hanging out with your family, is now called.
You're taking more of my time, as
I am now calling an end to the public comment period. Mr.
Swiger, please just continue this
public comment has now concluded.
Thank you to everyone that has participated this evening.
I've lost count of how many we've had, but it's been several hours.
I appreciate all of you so passionately doing that.
We still have 350 attendees via Zoom as well as the audience.
So I know that this is something that very important
and we want to go ahead and continue this evening.
There will be a second public comment period after this new business item.
If anyone has anything left, but we will shorten that
because I know that it's getting late
and emotions will only continue to run higher the later it gets.
So moving on to new business, we will now
discuss the revised health and safety plan.
Dr. Winslow
Thank you, Mr..
Just a few minutes
Administration recommends things
are sorry.
Sorry. I know we want to get it done.
The administration recommends the approval of the revised Health
and Safety plan guidance and templates.
May I please have a motion to approve the revised Health and Safety plan
Guidance and template?
So moved Cathy sicker. Second Maria Me.
As we move into discussion, I will ask Dr.
Windsor to please begin with an overview of the proposed changes to the plan.
We will then have board debate where every board member will go around
and ask before any back and forth occurs between the board.
Thank you.
There are two major changes to the proposed revision to the health
and Safety plan.
The first has to do with universal face coverings
and what it reads is Derry Township School District
will follow the CDC recommendation for universal indoor
masking all teachers, staff, students, volunteers and visitors Districtwide.
Regardless of vaccination status.
The district's administration will monitor local transmission data and the pandemic
will meet on a monthly basis at a minimum, to review
as a local and county transmission level and guidance from the CDC.
CDC and PD changed.
A pandemic team will recommend changes
for masking to the school board as appropriate,
looking to be as flexible as possible and to be able to move quickly.
Should we be able to back off on
universal masking with lower transmission rates,
with vaccinations being more available for younger children and so forth?
As far as
contact tracing and quarantining are concerned?
You know, there's been a little bit of confusion
about contact tracing and quarantining and which is which contact tracing
is simply identifying any children or students
who might have been exposed to someone who has a positive COVID case.
Quarantining would happening if a student has to stay home
because they have been diagnosed as positive.
So I will read that change
staff and families would be notified
that they or their children should not come to school
and should notify school officials if they, their staff or their child
families become sick with COVID 19 symptoms or test positive for COVID 19.
Staff and families will be notified that they or their children have been
exposed to someone with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID 19.
District staff will inform those who have had close contact with a person
diagnosed with COVID 19 so they can monitor themselves for symptoms.
Students who may be a close contact to a COVID night COVID positive person,
while universal masking is in place at school,
do not need to self isolate, provided that they do not develop symptoms.
So those are the two major changes.
And the reason the administration is in favor of those two changes
is because we do not have to quarantine students who have been close contacts.
If we have universal masking in place.
And our goal and our focus has been to get back to full time,
in-person, full day instruction and we do we do not want to be a school
that opens up and ends up shutting right back down again.
So that is why we are making these recommendations.
And I appreciate the opportunity to share that.
Thank you. Dr.
Winslow, I'm actually going to just start if I may just have a second,
then we'll just go around
my question some more from things I've heard from the community
and want to just ask for point of clarification and understanding,
because fortunately I have the benefit of having been on the pandemic team
and been part of a lot of these conversations.
My first question I will ask our school solicitor,
Mr. Walker, to just please weigh in on there have been several comments
as to the legality and the authority that the district has to mandate masks.
I know that we have had a conversation about this,
but could you just please clarify that position?
Sure. Absolutely. You, Mr..
Outside of providing our full year guidance
in public due to the attorney client privilege,
I will say that it's our opinion at this point as a district solicitor, that
the recommendations within the health and safety plan are permissible and legal.
Thank you.
Dr. Winslow, could you just touch upon a couple of things,
such as mask breaks and?
I know there has been a concern that is incredibly valid from parents
regarding not being able to see, especially the faces
with masks on in the younger grades.
As you know, reading and vocabulary development are taking place.
There had been talk about some of the clear masks.
Could you just provide clarity around that and things that we want to make sure
that that we would take,
you know, an initiative to to implement?
Absolutely.
I'll just start with mask breaks.
Teachers are absolutely allowed to take students outside for class,
which would provide a mask break.
This is recommending indoor masking, not outdoor masking.
Everything that we're seeing
says that
outdoors without a mask on is is very safe.
Students would not have to wear masks, recess and they would obviously
need to take them off at lunchtime, which would be the only place where
a small number of close contacts could lead to quarantining.
Should that be the case, We are purchasing extra tables
at the high school so that students, more students can eat outside.
And we're looking at additional options at the middle school.
The elementary really does not have an outdoor eating space
that would be conducive to that, working hard to keep students spread out
again. Additionally
teachers can take students.
Outside
because I will be.
Mostly outside, I would assume, zones.
Weather is good and.
They don't have to wear their masks for that.
And for lunch they'll have assigned seating so that it would be
the same students around each other with the mask off each day.
Yes, but not like we had last year
where they were sitting straightforward in desks.
They will be able to socialize.
They'll be able to be with their friends, just trying to keep it to a minimum.
Because the students.
That they're exposed to when they're.
Unmasked.
You asked about the
facial expressions and so forth.
We do provide shields for the teachers
so that they can have a shield.
And we have like a beehive.
It looks like a beekeeper,
but so the children can see their faces.
We also purchased clear. Masks.
For both teachers and students
that we have a ton of still from last year.
We also did not see any detriment in learning to read or pronounce words.
Last.
Year for any of the students and the SCC.
As we move. Forward.
But I get your questions.
You did. Thanks.
And I just want to reiterate that the plan is going to continue to be fluid
and change
with the pandemic team meeting monthly and bringing forward recommendations
and that we will time that out so that any recommendations
brought forward would always be within a week
of a board meeting for quick implementation of changes.
Correct. Thank you.
All right.
Let's go around board members for questions. And
before we even talk about,
you know, just debating, just another point of clarification, Dr.
Winslow, this is due to have a stick, by the way.
Just I know in the community there was talk about
they're afraid
that school is going to close based on case counts
and that we're going to move back to hybrid.
Could you just clarify currently what we have decided about case counts?
Are we closing based on case counts and are we going to close
based or move to a hybrid model based on case counts currently?
Is there a structure in place for that? Thank you.
We have because we have to have we did develop contingency plans
just in case because we'd be crazy not to have plans in place
given all the changes that we have faced in the last 18 months.
However, at this point in time, we have been given no direction
or guidance that we will have to close down buildings for case counts.
Welcome.
Any other partners have questions for Dr.
Winslow?
I had never heard about clear masks.
Did You. Say.
That can be worn by both students and teachers.
Yeah.
That we would supply make of this.
Yeah, we have a whole bunch of them.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Anyone else have a question?
This is just questions. Correct?
Not comments. Yes. Thank you.
No questions.
Okay, then I will
open it up to comments from the board
members or debate amongst each other.
Dr. Cronin, did you want to go ahead?
Yeah.
I didn't know if you were going to go in order and give us all a chance.
So I was just waiting.
I'm just looking to see who wanted to speak, and I don't see I don't mind.
Donna Cronin I
first want to start by thanking all of the individuals
who not only participated, but also shared their comments,
because I think it's important to hear from everybody.
And I also think it's important release, I believe, for everybody.
But I will only speak for myself that this has been a very
time of reading tons of data.
I came in.
I have never had any preconceived notions.
I've never already had my mind made up.
I've been watching data and looking at it like everyone else has.
So I'm really trying to make the best choice for our districts, in my opinion.
I believe until young students can be vaccinated, I do support mandatory
masking in the elementary and middle school buildings so that no students
will risk being quarantined and missing school if a positive
COVID case occurs.
And that is my my primary mantra is keeping kids in school.
My secondary mantra is
after keeping kids in school, no masks, but that's secondary.
But currently, our Hershey High School students
who attend the Dauphin County Technical School,
along with their neighboring peers at Lower
Dauphin, KD and Middletown High Schools will be mask optional.
I agree with.
I therefore am in support of masks being optional in the high school
because students being vaccinated are not subject to the same quarantine
regulations that would allow that, that would force them to miss school.
So I will be therefore
voting no to this updated plan.
And I am part of the pandemic team and I did share my my concerns about or my
my feelings.
The high school should be optional to the committee, but I certainly wasn't.
I was in the minority.
So that's why this this has passed.
Just want make that clear that I am part of the pandemic team.
But I feel and in looking at the data and the numbers for our zip code
that I've been following, I really believe that
the high school students should be mask optional.
So but not for the elementary or middle school.
So that's but I'll be voting no because it's all combined.
Thank you.
I'd like to ask Dr.
Windsor to speak on on that
specifically about the high school,
because I've been going around and around about that one, because
they do have the option to get vaccinated.
But if your.
If you.
Don't want to be vaccinated, go ahead.
What do you think about the hospital?
I mean, about the high school. I'm sorry.
Thank you for clarifying.
I can't speak to the hospital.
I know it's getting late.
So in the pandemic team discussion and the research that we looked at
and the visibility of the Delta variant,
because even if you are vaccinated, you can if there's there are breakthrough
and it's being shown that
or we're seeing that the vaccinated people can be symptomatic free
but still transmit to someone who is not vaccinated.
And since children can't get vaccinated unless their parents
take them to get vaccinated, we we don't want to
those who aren't vaccinated by saying you have to wear a mask
because you're not vaccinated, because you have a medical condition,
maybe their family doesn't believe in it.
We want to make sure that we're protecting
all of the kids and not putting anybody in a space of.
Of. Being in that position when they can't help it.
It's not always necessarily your child.
Could you clarify that, Dr. Winslow?
You don't.
To make someone who doesn't get a vaccine wear a mask yet.
We're already saying that everyone in the elementary and middle school
who can't be vaccinated, we're making wear a mask because that protects them.
So following why the high school, an unvaccinated person you don't
want to make where I just missed something there wouldn't be going to make.
I'm sorry.
Wouldn't make them wear masks in the high school.
I was referring back to our pandemic team discussion.
Dr. Cronan okay.
How it was brought up that not all kids,
even if they want the vaccine, get it
because their parents may not be
may not be open to that option for them, may not be ready for that.
We have no idea how.
Many of our high school students have been vaccinated,
and I believe I had shared that when we had the vaccination clinic here.
And I do understand lots of people could get vaccinated in a different place.
But when we had the vaccination clinic here, there were fewer
than 100 high school students who got vaccinated.
So to take the the risk of shutting down the high school
because we are we don't know who's been vaccinated and who has not,
when ultimately what we want is all full in-person instruction.
We just taking that chance when when this variant is
so transmissible just does not seem to make sense at this point in time.
That does not mean that once you know, things get a little bit more under
control, that that won't be revisited and that we went back off on that.
So this is Terry Singer.
We are not we are not going to be asking students families
whether they've been vaccinated or not, correct? No.
It's not.
I'm sorry, this is not occurring unless they are a contact.
Correct.
But if we have universal masking,
then we don't have to do that quarantining process.
We would just be notifying them that they were close
to someone who was a positive case.
So since we don't have to quarantine, we don't have to ask them
whether or not they've been vaccinated.
This is Lindsay true.
I certainly understand the position for high school students that have
had the opportunity to be vaccinated and the mask argument for that.
I mean, I know as a vaccinated individual,
I'm not thrilled about having, you know, to go back to masking.
But when I come back to it in this instance,
we keep hearing over and over and over again
that the most important thing is getting kids back in school full time.
We've committed that the pandemic team is going to be meeting every four weeks
and bring proposed changes.
You know, if we're in that space to do.
I think that it would be awful for a high school student
to go back into school after all of this time,
be for a couple of days and then get contact tracers out of school
because we weren't willing to to do this
and keep our kids in school for.
That knowing that the next pandemic team meeting is less than a month away.
I just really struggle with that.
I think it's easy for,
you know, an easy argument would be
everybody should get the vaccine right.
If you have the option of the high schoolers, they're of age,
they have the option to get the vaccine.
But I in that scenario, we are making assumptions
about everybody's family.
And I go back to just an extreme example of we know that there are,
give or take, about 20 homeless families in our district.
I don't know what buildings kids are,
but let's just say there are some in the high school.
They don't have access.
40, 40 homeless kids in our district.
So there are potentially those children are in the high school.
We don't know what their competencies are
and whether they even have access to medical care, the vaccine.
So we can't just make these assumptions
because I've been I've gone around and around in my head about this.
My child is vaccinated. She's in high school.
I'm irritated. She has to wear a mask.
I'm not don't have the luxury of sitting here making a decision just for my child.
So there is a demographic of children that we have to protect.
And if we can't make just these
blanket statements like, well, everybody can get vaccinated.
So they just should.
And then if they don't, then those children will be penalized.
So if you're an you come from a family that's anti-vax or anti-mask,
you will get contact traced and you will have to be out of school.
So we just need to be reminded.
Our number one goal is to educate the children in this district.
All of the children in this district.
And the best thing for them is in-person learning five days a week.
And if they have to wear a mask to receive that,
then I just don't know where the debate lies.
And are we still have questions or comments?
Sorry, we're either at this point.
Oh, yeah, we moved the comments with Dr.. Of.
Any other comment.
Well, I
John Abell, I have a comment.
I just want to sort of explain my thought process and how I got to
where I got to the ceiling when I when I'm going to vote in favor of the provision.
And I'll keep it brief. I mean, I think
the doctor probably
made a good point that all the input has been extremely helpful.
I know as I sit here this evening,
you know, listened to the speakers and I think that's a good point.
Well, that's a good point.
So and that includes the community correspondence.
And I think I think there's valid points on both side.
I hear about the value of individual liberty
and choice and family autonomy.
On the other side, we hear about, you know,
public health and public safety concerns.
So I think, as I said, it was trying to weigh all that out.
And we all do agree that the touchstone is our children's education.
The touchstone is the welfare and safety of all of our children.
There's there's there's no playbook on this.
I mean, there's
nothing that we can turn to on page 37 and say, well, here's how you handle this.
And none of us really can predict the future.
I know the struggle with with many of us was last year about trying
get back to in class five days a week.
I think this is the way that we get there. I, I
and it's
again, sort of the totality of all the factors.
And the CDC recommendation is only one of those factors.
And I heard folks tonight about the CDC, I think, which driving my decision
more than anything else is the local data that you're see here
and in this part of the county.
And I the pandemic team,
to stay vigilant, to stay on top of that data,
to see if there's a change in circumstances that we can revisit this.
I'm concerned that, you know,
that, you know, folks that talk tonight about,
you know, this is going to be permanent, you know, what's next?
You know, once it all going to end.
But I can only, you know, call upon the committee
to, you know, to continue to track that data.
I want to thank the task force. I want to thank
everyone as you get their input.
And again, I will follow the recommendation
of the administration and vote for the revision.
So thank you.
Yes. Hi, this is Judy Harper Stick.
I respect everybody's opinion and everyone who spoke
and thanked them for as well as for coming and speaking for me.
I will be voting no to the revised health and safety plan.
The risk of giving
COVID is less now than it was a year ago.
I do believe that families should have the choice
to decide for their child what is best regarding masks.
Dr. Brett Dillon, who is the vice president of medical affairs
for Penn State Health Holy Spirit, reported on August 3rd
that America 70% of adults have received at least one dose.
90% of those over 65 have received at least one dose.
It is estimated that 80 to 100 million Americans have had COVID.
He says if you add this to the vaccination rate,
which would be we should add that to that we are at or approaching herd immunity.
There are breakthrough cases which are fully vaccinated.
Americans who are getting COVID 0.5% are sick at home with mild cases,
only 0.004%
of vaccinated people get COVID and need hospitalization.
So of those who are vaccinated,
99.5% are not getting COVID,
although cases slightly up, they are only one fifth of what they were
at the peak of the pandemic, and mortality rates remain low.
I believe the concerns brought forth committee members who do not want masks
required for all students are relevant
and are valid and should be considered.
But the most compelling statement for me in making my decision
for having masks optional
was made by Dr.
Brett DeLong, who is the vice president.
As I mentioned, the vice president of Penn State health.
Holy Spirit.
And this was in his August 30 Paup.
He stated that healthy school age children
by nature of their age are more protected than vaccinated adults
and less likely to get COVID than even vaccinated adults.
Therefore, I'll be voting for masks to be optional
and leaving the decision to the child's family who know their child best
and what they need physically, emotionally and developmentally to thrive
and have a successful school year. Thank you.
Okay.
This is Cathy Sicker.
I would like to thank everyone who spoke tonight and at previous
meetings, as well as those who write in to the board about this important topic.
We read your emails and we listen to your comments.
I will vote tonight to support the newly were not revised
Health and safety plan for our school district.
I believe we have an obligation
as a public school district to protect all students and staff
from a highly contagious airborne illness is currently
causing a global pandemic.
We are resuming in-person learning five days a week
with no promise of 3 to 6 feet of social distancing.
The district's pandemic team met on Monday and approved a change to our health
and safety plan to start the school year with universal
masking regardless of vaccination status.
The district's pandemic team is committed to meeting monthly
or more often to assess the current COVID positive numbers, vaccination rates
and to availability of a vaccine for the 12 and under children.
Proper masking is the most
effective mitigation strategy to prevent COVID 19 transmission.
With masking in place full time, in-person instruction
is appropriate for all grades and with masking in place,
quarantine rates will go down for those who are exposed to a COVID positive.
Therefore, minimizing any disruption to student academics.
I understand we are currently in a global pandemic and we are all sick of it.
We are all sick of our masks.
But our top priority is to have kids in school five days a week
while minimizing the spread of COVID 19 and keeping our students
and staff healthy.
For those of you who say that low hospitalizations and death rates
should be our only gauge for this pandemic,
I would counter that argument by asking What about the short and long
term effects of COVID 19 on a young person's body and development?
I have experience as a mother.
My children have gone through this K through 12 Derry Township
Public School system, and they are now 19 and 22.
My 19 year old child
contracted pertussis, which is whooping cough
as a six year old this summer before first grade.
He was fully vaccinated, which saved his life.
But with his underlying medical condition of asthma,
it caused him to be sick for one year.
He was never
nor was he on his deathbed.
But the damage and recovery to his lungs,
as well as the mental and emotional turmoil for our
that our family endured by keeping him healthy was tremendous.
Someday, this pandemic will end.
And the key to that is vaccination.
Someday, COVID 19 will be among the other viruses
that we have eliminated or nearly eliminated.
But until then, we must mitigate the threat, monitor
the numbers and keep our kids safe.
Is there anyone else?
Any of the board members who have not spoken
like an opportunity?
Yes. Madam President.
Chip shop before my comment, a housekeeping issue repeatedly.
We've been challenged to do our own research and to do our own due diligence.
And so this you see that stack?
That's part of my due diligence.
So not only those articles have I reviewed, that doesn't
count the electronic articles which are kept electronic.
And all the time I've spent listening to virologists, immunology
and infectious diseases experts on a regular and ongoing basis.
In addition,
I reached out to a number of physician colleagues
who I've known for decades in various specialties
and would trust with my life for their opinions on this.
So now from my comments
as other board members have
stated, our prime directive, I mean, we represent everyone.
But as as it relates to the Prime directive, which is in-person
face to face education five days a week,
no hybrid, no shutdowns.
The best to ensure that is to start
the year, start the year with the the masking required.
Okay.
That's not a full year decision
because a couple of things are very important in driving that decision.
And one is the community transmission, which is currently high and will monitor.
And the other one is the community.
In other words, what what percent of people have immunity
based on past natural infection and or immunization?
There are
a couple of arguments or points
which have been made which are, let's
say, dangerous but which are perilous because they're permanent.
And one is that the vaccines
don't completely prevent infection,
and nor are they designed to
vaccines that prevent infection.
Sterilizing vaccines, I don't know, maybe
human papillomavirus vaccine,
but they're designed to prevent disease infection.
The distinction being infection is when the virus is replicating
in your body, disease is when you have signs and symptoms.
So the vaccines are prime the immune system
much the way you have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
The fire extinguisher doesn't
prevent the grease fire, but enables you to put it out quickly.
So that argument is going to be permanent.
Okay?
People that have been vaccinated
will become infected.
The second one is that
even one person, even one student dying of this is too many.
Well, that's going to happen.
My life's work was emergency medicine.
I've seen kids die of vaccine preventable diseases.
I don't take any of this lightly.
But this
this virus is going to be with us for the foreseeable future.
And so we can't
we can't totally have our operations
consumed by the fact that that may be some point in the future.
One person's going to die
and the third one is the point
that the masking also reduces the incidence of
or the prevalence of influenza and RSV and influenza.
Of course they do.
And so that would mean that we're going to mask up permanently.
So those three arguments,
we need to be very careful about because they can become perilous.
So I think as a starting point, we need to have the the mask mandate.
And I am certainly glad to discuss any point
about this decision, any article,
any facet of this with anybody at any time.
And being in New York 3 a.m. is fine with me.
I'll buy the coffee.
So we will keep we will be very vigilant.
And I think the final thing would be some folks will say,
well, Kip, aren't you being hypocritical?
You have a mask on.
Well, exactly.
However, in my judgment, in my judgment,
vaccinated people mask are optional
and we can't extend that to the school.
So it's just it's my judgment and I am vaccinated.
Thank you, Dr. Shah.
Are there any other board members who would like to speak
for me?
I would just like to say a couple of things before we move to the vote.
This past spring, the board and the administration
committed to returning to full time in-person learning for the fall.
It was at the forefront of the public comment they were receiving.
It was what people wanted to know and wanted to have us guarantee.
We recognize that being in the classroom is the best opportunity
for our students to thrive, and I remain committed to that.
Since the onset of this pandemic, the responsibility for decision
making that has been placed on school board directors and school administrators
who lack infectious disease and medical expertise has been substantial.
I don't want to begin to minimize the weight of that.
We've heard from hundreds of parents, community members just in the past week.
I've read every single email
and we've heard from 65 individuals tonight.
I value and respect the feedback that we receive
from parents and residents from all walks of life and positions.
And please don't begin to assume otherwise.
But I feel it would be irresponsible of me to not give weight to the voices,
the overwhelmingly loud voices of the physicians who call Hershey home
and provide care here in our community, many of whom are also district parents
who have felt compelled and so strongly about this to lend their knowledge
and recommended best practices for health and safety measures through community
as we navigate a safe return to school.
It is these same professionals whose guidance I would trust
with any other health related decision that I had to make for myself or my child.
And I feel incredibly fortunate to live in a community where we have
such phenomenal resources amongst us
in order to achieve our
goal of keeping our children not only safe but in school,
in-person with as little disruption to their learning environment as possible.
I feel that we have no choice
but to begin the year universal masking for the district
as the community levels of transmission decline,
as the opportunity to receive a vaccine becomes available for all students
and the health professionals we trust change their guidance and support
a reduction in these mitigation efforts that I will happily and eagerly do so.
I recognize that there will be many in this community
who do not agree with me on this, and there will be many who do.
One thing I've come to realize in this past year and a half is that
many of
these decisions are a lose lose when it comes to public opinion.
There is no one solution that will make everyone happy.
But I feel that this is the right decision for our district as we begin
this school year.
It's the right decision for the children and the staff as a collective group.
And it is a decision that allows me to trust that I have fulfilled
my responsibility to this community as an elected school board director
in achieving the goal that we set forth of returning children
full time, in-person education with minimal disruption.
However, the district moves forward this evening.
I implore
all of us to move forward from tonight and return the focus to doing whatever
we can to ensure our children success as we return to school.
This board is committed to moving forward and there is a lot of work to be done
in our administration and our teachers and our students need us.
So thank you for all of the time and effort
that everyone in this room, from parents to board members, has put in.
If no board members have any other comment at this time, then I'll ask Mrs.
A.G. to please take a roll call vote.
Mr. Abel.
Mr. Abel. Yes.
Dr. Cronan? No.
Ms.. Drew. Yes.
Mrs. Harris. No.
Mrs. Mary. Yes.
Mr. Rizzo.
Yes. Dr.. Yes.
Mrs.. Yes.
Mr. Singer. Yes.
Seven. Yes.
Two Now.
Thank you.
The revised health and safety plan has been approved.
Dr. Winslow, would you just please give an update
on moving forward and, how that will be implemented and communicated?
Absolutely.
Tomorrow, around 9:00, we will send a letter out to the
parents and guardians of our of our children
via one call.
Now that will be sent out in an email format prior
to that will notify staff and
administration to make sure that they are all aware.
And we will set Monday the 16th as the day
that we will expect teachers, our new teachers come back next week.
So We will expect them to begin masking at that time.
Thank you.
Recognition of citizens.
We will now move into our final
public comment period.
Residents and taxpayers who wish to address the board on matters
related to the agenda or matters of district
governance on the agenda will now have the opportunity to do so.
Those who speak are asked to follow the same guidelines
outlined at the initial public comment portion of our meeting.
In interest of time and this being a special meeting
after having our regular public meeting on Monday,
I will limit this period to no more than 30 minutes.
I would now
invite any residents or taxpayers who would like to speak
that are in person in the audience to please raise your hand at this time.
Thank Yes, sir.
So we will then move to virtual participants.
Robert Bracknell 1244 Walton Ballroom Hummelstown Pier.
I ask again that you guys implement
the virtual option for our students or children.
So It gives them another opportunity.
I feel like that is the only way, you know, if you guys are going to
and you just voted yes to implement your new safety plan,
give us more options.
My my kids personally thrived
under that model, so I know some didn't.
But once again you gave us more options
for the one sitting here that voted yes and aren't wearing masks.
It's hypocritical because we have to walk our children the school with our mask on.
I'm vaccinated.
I was made to get vaccinated by the city of Harrisburg, where I'm a firefighter.
Okay.
So it's okay.
It's easy for you to sit here and make a decision.
Vote yes.
But think about those kids every day that are going to sit in that classroom
8 hours a day wearing their mask.
Thank you.
Thank. Thank you.
All right.
Joyce Libby, 235, William Drive, Hershey.
Thank you.
Thank you to Donna Cronan
for voting against the masks.
This is, as I said the other night, we recall or not.
I didn't say I was embarrassed, but I am and I'm ashamed for all of you.
And I hope that you really will stick with what you said,
that you will stay on this and you will.
This is not like a mission for you to, like, go down this crazy path.
This is this is our lives.
This our children's lives. It's our future.
I don't care if your kids are comfortable wearing a mask or not.
I mean, God, it's not normal.
I see you people wearing masks, and I'm like, What is wrong with you people?
I just don't get it.
But you have to be attacked.
Personal attacks? No.
Okay.
Please stay civil and respectful and complete your time.
So is virtual learning not an.
We're not doing questions.
Mrs. Second grade.
You take off your best and talk to me.
All right.
That's not okay. Okay.
I would recommend if you have specific questions to contact
through the Community Correspondence forum or contact the building administrator
where your child is enrolled.
They'll be able to answer questions
to anyone else in person.
Thank you very much, Hershey.
I do have I'm sorry. Just one more time.
Name Charles.
Chapters 316 Q&A with Lane
Hershey.
I just don't understand why districts
and townships to the left of Boston, to the right of us are given the choice.
Right, have made that decision already.
And then we're in the middle and then we automatically mandate.
Now, some some of us are vaccinated, some of us aren't.
And I completely understand that.
Some of us choose to wear a mask.
I'm sure, sir.
Madam, you may not be forced to wear a mask, but you choose.
You make that decision.
I'm not sure if you wore the mask at home or in your car
or when you were on the beach this summer somewhere.
I don't know.
But the simple fact that
you're not allowing the choice for our children
is unbelievable.
And I'll make this statement, too.
When I started this evening and I kind of lost
my temper a little bit, and I apologize for that.
But when I came back from China on January 24th,
we chose Hershey for a specific reason for the school district.
I had been here as a kid.
I wanted to come back here as an adult.
When I came back here,
I told your assistant superintendent
that I left China
and I asked him this, and you can ask him if he remembers on February 19th.
Is he prepared for a pandemic?
Write it down, folks.
Your assistant superintendent, Refsnyder.
He completely dismissed me.
He dismissed me.
Didn't want to discuss it with me and step aside.
And basically on the phone.
Now I have a problem with that, because back then he have done something.
First of all, for the kids
and for the community.
And the second thing I want to say is this
Decisions should be made
on the best interest of the student.
And tonight, I don't think they have that.
I don't think they have that.
And it's unfortunate.
And I understand we're all professionals and understand
the medical community and understand the general community.
But I would think
that more thought process would go into this decision
than simply the scientific
the scientific facts that really I don't know where they're at.
I really don't know.
I'll say this and I'll end.
And I'm sorry if you will mandate the mask.
10 seconds.
I will ask Hershey to give each kid the same mask.
Give him the same mask?
Not. Not this
time.
Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.
Thank you.
Anyone else in the audience?
Mr. DAVIES.
My name is 1524, Church Road.
This is Havasu. Thank you.
I appreciate your viewpoint, the rest of you.
Just a reminder, we voted you in.
Thank you.
Is there anyone else in person who would like to speak?
Yes. Author Zirinsky, 62.
About food drive.
Yes. Yeah, I understand that.
That you had a you know what?
What do you think might have been a difficult decision today,
But I would challenge each one of you that voted yes
from when school starts, what, eight in the morning
until one school gets out at, what, like three?
Couple. Do you have a mask on?
I'm just showing you I'm challenging you to do it
whether you're vaccinated or not, because that's what you're asking the kids to do.
And I mean, each one of you are obviously our leaders.
We elected you to be leaders.
I think really what a leader would do
and then I want one point I don't think that I mentioned,
but in 2018 and 2019, there were more children
that died of the common flu
than died of COVID 19 in 2020.
Why didn't we have a mass back then?
It's a rhetorical, but thank you.
Thank you.
Seeing no other hands in the audience then, Mr.
Wyatt, I would ask that you please move to the virtual participants.
At this time.
We have a few hands raised.
We'll start with Kristi Parker.
I can hear me as.
Thank you.
I know I spoke a little while ago.
I just wanted to ask for the record.
Kirstie Parker, 167 South Hanover Street, Hummelstown.
I just wanted also to think Mrs.
Hubristic and Ms..
Cronan and I believe there was one more Mr.
Thaw, I believe, who also.
No, I appreciate that.
Yes, that needs to be corrected.
It was just Jenny Haverstock and Donna Cronan.
Thank you.
Oh, okay. Well, thank you for the two of them.
I appreciate that very much.
My daughter was listening to this whole thing
and she actually said to me, Mom, why don't they just let the students vote
since it's about the students, why don't we let the students vote?
And the other thing that I think you guys are forgetting is you all work for us.
You work for us.
We are here and you are working for us.
And you have lost sight of that.
So now that I've gotten
plus my 10 seconds back, thank you and have you all, good night.
Thank you, Mrs.
Parker.
Mr. Speaker.
Next we have Yvonne Hokanson.
Can you hear me?
Yes, thank you.
I just
I wanted to applaud your decision tonight
and let you know that your choice this evening
is going to allow parents to get back to work
and generate a stable income again.
For their home when when they can.
Is going to let get back into the classroom and re
socialize themselves with their peers and get caught up in their coursework.
The decision tonight is going to let kids have some semblance of
football games and high school dances,
and I hope you all go to sleep tonight knowing that.
The. Decision you've made here allows these kids. To.
Have something close to what they remember their their.
School life being.
It wouldn't have
this.
So thank you.
Thank you very much.
Next, we have Mallory Gillespie.
Hello?
Yes, can you hear me? Yes, thank you.
All right.
Again, for the record, it's Mallory Gillespie, one for one Hawthorn Drive.
I had a misunderstanding earlier. Where?
This is where, like the earlier time was where I thought I could speak again.
But again, I just wanted to speak on, like,
the students,
because I know not a lot of students are tuned into the zoom
because of prior commitments and everything I in fact, have been like
in between my volleyball, open jams and this board meeting,
I am not going to be here to like, yell at you guys
for your decision that's being made because obviously all have to respect it.
But I do think that overall,
having parents make decisions for the students that are actually
having to go through this and to go to school is
absurd.
And, you know, we're we're really just trying to get back to
I understand it's going to be a really long process.
I really hope that you guys taking
to consideration in the future
changing this policy where in fact, Mr.
Sample, I play I think I saw him walk out that I play volleyball with his daughter.
We're going to be going through this all together and we
obviously respect all of your decisions, but I really, really hope
that you guys reevaluate in the future and let let the kids speak for themselves.
I'm trying to be a student representative,
representative here, being a member of student council and everything,
but Yeah, that's all I have to say.
Thank you, guys.
Thank you.
Next we have intervene.
Call.
Hello, my name is Arnold.
Ron Paul.
I am 22.
I'm a 20 to 45 Red Fox drive.
I'd like to thank the board for their immense patience
and their judgment to allow masking.
And I would like to point out for those who have threatened you
that they are going to vote you out.
I like to let you know that we have your back, too.
And for those in the board
who have twisted the data to misinterpret the data,
I'm asking you to talk to the more informed colleagues
at Penn State College of Medicine,
infectious disease experts, virologist,
and make a data driven decision.
And especially to Miss
Judy have a student who have quoted Dr.
Brett alone.
We are going to reach out to Dr.
Brett alone and make sure that what you quoted
him to have said is actually factually correct,
because Dr.
Brett alone cannot speak for himself here at this meeting.
This must go into record that what he has said is actually correct.
Thank you.
I just want to quote that is from a radio talk show that he did do.
So it is actually his quote from
he speaks every Tuesday about the coronavirus.
It's on W HPV by the eighties.
So I did make sure that that was correct.
That is his quote.
So I think.
We send the board the transcript of exactly what he said.
We don't want to paraphrase it.
You are welcome to submit a community feedback to connect with the board.
And if business have to request not from Mr.
Terroristic, if you would like it. Thank you. I will.
Thank you.
Next, we have new Sardar Patel.
Hi, folks.
Sorry, Patel, 71 Carousels, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
It's been an incredibly long night.
And I just want to say thank you
for doing the due diligence that you guys have been doing.
And I think tonight you guys led the way.
Good leaders are supposed to lead.
And, you know, you don't always make the decision that everyone is happy with,
but you always make the decision that's best and that's sometimes not
the easiest one masks being the one that we're talking about tonight.
So I just wanted to say we have your back from the health care community.
And, you know, we support and, you know, stay strong.
And as far as Dr.
Billy Owens, I listened to the podcast while I was on the meeting with you guys.
And, you know, contrarians exist in every field.
It doesn't necessarily make them correct.
So I encourage you to look at
other sources and, reputable sources.
And if
if everyone's screaming from the mountaintop
the same thing, maybe there's some validity to it.
So I just wanted to say thank you guys and hopefully everyone can get
through the school year safely.
Thank you.
Next, we have Gina Galindo.
Miss Glenda, you may unmute now.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I thank you all for the evening.
I'm sorry, it was such a long night for. You all.
But thank you for everything you do for the two that voted against.
Thank you so much for speaking up.
We parents greatly appreciate that.
That would like our own choice.
I just would like
to advocate what's the end game.
So what what needs what do we have to accomplish?
So we actually have the students
that don't want to or can't wear masks, then go back to school.
At that point, you know, what are the alternatives for the
that want their child to go attend a class not masked?
Can they transfer to a different district for the time being?
Like, what can we do to move forward?
And I like you all to start thinking about that process.
And what is that going to look like
for those types of students or for my types of students?
You know, can we do some type of virtual option again for for this year?
So thank you all for everything.
We greatly appreciate it as parents and have a nice evening.
Thank you so much. Thank you very much.
There is one more hand raised.
Yes, We have Karen Patterson.
Hi, my name is Karen
Patterson, 19, Brandywine and Hershey.
And I moved.
To Hershey.
Because I have a daughter that has
health issues, behavior issues.
And I know Hershey's.
One of the best to help her out.
I applaud you.
For doing the mask I daughter.
And when
the COVID started,
she got her mask, I got mine.
She would see people walking around the street say, Mom, why aren't they.
Wearing their mask?
I said, I don't know.
Why don't you ask them?
We were in the grocery store.
She stopped and asked a gentleman, Why aren't you wearing your mask?
Oh, because I'm not going to get sick.
She's Like, how do you know?
Well, I don't know.
Well,
I wish she would wear one.
She goes, because would not want to see anything happen to you.
She's five. She starts. Kindergarten.
I'm not real crazy when they come out.
For a vaccine for her.
Age because our vaccine was bad enough.
That it was. Not approved by the FDA.
This was something that was real quick because.
Of it being. A pandemic.
So I applaud you for doing the mask.
And I she's looking forward to school this year.
If she has to wear a mask, she's fine with it.
She rather be having fun with her friends,
with the mask on, then not being with her friends.
And thank you for everything.
Thank you very much.
There are currently
no hands raised and no one in the audience waiting to speak.
So I will ask the board members, is there anything else for the of the order?
Yes, this is Teri Singer.
I just have something I'd like to say
in closing.
In reality, not just with the pandemic.
The ongoing adjudication of democracy
is an unending series of compromises
in the pursuit of the common good.
As for the common good,
now that we've made a decision on what to do
and parents and guardians can now make their decisions
as adults, I hope we can all accept the decision.
Moral respectfulness Both publicly and privately,
so that we can get all the students and their families
who decide to send them back to school after a great start.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Singer.
Lindsay, I'd like to say something.
It's Donna Cronin.
I. I thank you for that, Terry.
I am in full agreement.
I may have disagreed on the stance
of the high school, but I do respect the overall vote.
And I also want to point out that in the safety plan, item three A,
it does say that the pandemic team will recommend changes
for masking to the school board as appropriate.
As a member of that pandemic team, I will certainly do my best to make sure that.
We are, you know, meeting often enough to reflect any changing data that we have.
We have zip code data from this state that we can look at.
Hershey, Hummelstown, parts of Palmyra, to see what's actually going on
and make informed decisions based on data right here in our community.
So I know we're meeting
at least monthly, at least it's at least monthly and more if necessary.
So my my thanks to to Dr.
Winslow and making sure our pandemic team does his due diligence to three a
of the plan to recommend changes for masking as appropriate.
So thank you, everybody. Thank you. Dr. Cronin.
Anyone Else for the good of the order.
Madam President,
just as an informational point, much of my life's work was spent masked,
and I most recently had the opportunity to spend about 16 hours wearing canned
95 masks this past Saturday, August 7th, just as an informational point.
Thank you, Dr..
Okay.
The next public Board of Directors meeting will be held on Monday, August
23rd, 2021, beginning at 7:00 pm here at the District Office.
For those wishing to participate virtually, please refer to the District
website as to register as that meeting draws closer.
May I please have a motion to adjourn this special meeting?
So moved Maria me second Cathy Secker
All in favor say I oppose.
The meeting is adjourned at 10:04 p.m..
Thank you and have a good night.