School Board gets an earful about face masks, race theory

LACONIA — Student athletes will no longer have to wear masks during competition, but the face mask mandate will otherwise continue in force for the remainder of the school year in the city’s public schools when students or staff are unable to maintain social distance.

The School Board voted 5-2 to lift the mandate for sanctioned athletic events at its meeting Tuesday, during which several members of the public criticized the policy, calling face masks ineffective, and harmful to students. Critical race theory also dominated much of the public comment portion of the meeting.

Superintendent Steve Tucker recommended lifting the athlete mask requirement based on a recent recommendation from the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association that individual athletes should be able to choose whether to wear a mask during athletic competitions.

But School Board member Laura Dunn urged that the relaxation of the mandate be broadened to include all students during physical education classes or at recess.

“We can safely do that for our students,” Dunn said, calling her suggestion “a safe compromise.”

“What’s the difference between the playground and the athletic field?” board member Dawn Johnson, an adamant opponent of the district's face mask policy, asked.

Tucker said he was not recommending that the face-mask requirement be eased beyond organized middle and high school athletics because many students still haven't been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Right now the coronavirus vaccine is available to anyone in the state aged 12 and older, regardless of residency. While clinical trials are underway for younger children, the vaccine has not yet been authorized for that age group as a whole.

Jennifer Freo, a nurse practitioner, said COVID guidelines about face masks are confusing and added there was no need for children to wear masks when they are outdoors.

Douglas Teegarden likened the face-mask polity to “mask jail.”

Comments from those in the audience of approximately 30 people shifted between criticism of the face mask policy and denunciation of critical race theory.

Resident Jim Thompson, a retiree, said he wanted a dialogue with the School Board on CRT, prompting board member Aaron Hayward to remark that School Board meetings are not an open forum.

Thompson said CRT is an issue which is getting widespread attention on conservative media, but not on liberal media which he said is promoting Marxist and socialist ideas. He said that President Joe Biden’s agenda on racial equality as well as Gov. Chris Sununu’s diversity and inclusion council are detrimental.

Tucker put out a statement last week that CRT is not being taught in city schools.

Parent Sarah Day, who spoke during the meeting via teleconference, repeated Tucker’s statement, prompting some in the audience to speak out saying, “That is not true.”

Peggy Shaw accused the School Board of having a “hidden agenda” of promoting CRT while publicly disavowing it.

Resident Rebecca Garner said CRT teaches people to recognize racial differences “which is teaching them to be racist.” The goal of the schools, she said, should be to advance color-blindness among students.