CHARLOTTE, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – Even before the CMS Board of Education got underway Tuesday night, you could get a sense of where things stood.
All but one of the members of the board were wearing masks. That number, and who did and didn’t, was also reflective of the recent vote to require masks within the district’s classrooms.
Despite that decision already being made, and also not on the agenda, it was still a point of discussion among those making public comment at the meeting.
“I have zero trust, and there is zero transparency within CMS,” said one parent.
“Sending unknowingly infectious and contagious people to mingle and infect others is bioterrorism,” said another.
Parents on either side make their feelings known, with some going so far as to say that the mask requirement was unconstitutional.
“I’m sick and tired of arrogant dictators thinking they have the power to control how our children breathe,” said another parent.
Others, however, saw the value in masking.
“These parents here do not speak for all parents,” said a parent in support of the requirement. “I want you to know that because we appreciate what you have done, and the conversations you have had.”
CMS’s decision comes as districts are evaluating–or in some cases re-evaluating–their stance on masks for the coming school year. In the case of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, some parents have said they are taking their children out of the school system, instead, opting for a private or home-school option.
“We decide that, and we demand the freedom to choose,” said one parent in opposition to the mask requirement.
Much of the crowd at the public meeting was a mix of those masked and unmasked. While masks weren’t the exclusive topic at the meeting, some did note the consequential nature of the decision.
“All around the country, adults are doing nothing,” said one parent. “So I thank you for requiring masks.”
