MARQUETTE, MI— The Marquette County Board of Health voted unanimously Wednesday night to recommend keeping the kindergarten through 6th grade mask mandate in place.
A number of residents showed up at the meeting to protest the mandate, designed to control the spread of COVID-19. Everyone who spoke, either in-person or online, was opposed to keeping masks on their children at school. They said the coverings negatively impact kids’ social skills and behavioral and mental health. Some claimed it’s illegal and one person said it’s immoral.
Charlene Worden of Harvey said masks impede students’ ability to learn.
“In order for children to learn to read, they need to be able to see how words are formed. They need to be able to see facial expressions. By mandating these masks you are impinging on a child’s education.”
Marquette County Health Department Health Officer Jerry Messana said the mandate was issued this month because the number of COVID cases in kids under 18 was rising. He noted 17 elementary school rooms have been quarantined since the beginning of the school year because kids have gotten the coronavirus.
Dr. Bob Lorinser said there’s definite harm from COVID across the board, but he doesn’t believe the harm comes from wearing masks.
“I’m not convinced, and neither is ADC, neither is the CDC, neither is the FDA, neither is the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Medicine, neither is infectious disease, neither is the World Health Organization.”
The Board of Health will pass its recommendation to the Marquette County Board of Commissioners, which will decide in a special meeting Thursday afternoon whether or not to rescind the mask mandate.
