NEWBERRY, S.C. — Last week, the Newberry County School Board implemented a mask mandate, but then less than 24 hours later, the board rescinded the order as public comment is required before a vote.
On Monday, 47 parents, grandparents and residents of Newberry County came back to the school board to make themselves heard about masks in Newberry County schools. Emotions ran high during the meeting as parents voiced their opinions.
One mother said, "My kids come home crying, saying 'mommy are we going to have to wear a mask?' At least let them breathe. At least let them have a time without a mask.”
Another mother said masks help slow the spread of the virus. "What we are doing doesn’t seem to be working. They do not hinder breathing, they do not block the oxygen and they don’t hinder learning.”
Still another mother said, “Forcing my child to wear a mask in 100-degree heat is child abuse. God gave us a face for a reason, we are teaching our children to fear everything.”
A Newberry Elementary School teacher stood before the board, pleading for the mask mandate to be reinstated, saying, "I teach in an elementary school where none of the kids are vaccinated. If you ever taught in an elementary school, have the kids run up and hug you, there is no way I can socially distance."
Another mother from the district said she refuses to mask her child. “To mask up for 460 minutes a day does absolutely nothing at all, and everybody continues to do what they want any other time of a day. I refuse to see my Clara suffer.”
The Newberry County School District Board have voted to table voting on a 30-day mask mandate until the Supreme Court make a ruling. The board say they will make a decision on implementing a mask mandate after they hear the ruling.