Whitefish schools' mask policy triggers protests

Parents, students and others have gathered in downtown Whitefish on several recent occasions to protest the Whitefish School Board's decision to require younger students to wear masks indoors as the school year begins.

The school board on Aug. 12 voted to require students and staff in kindergarten through sixth grade to wear masks while indoors, saying it's the best way to limit the spread of Covid-19 as the highly contagious delta variant contributes to the latest surge in infections and hospitalizations.

Masks are optional — but strongly encouraged — for grades seven through 12. (Children younger than 12 aren't yet eligible to receive any of the three Covid-19 vaccines available in the United States; children 12 and older can receive the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.) The school board plans to revisit the mask policy in October.

One protest last week drew roughly 100 people to the street corner outside City Hall. Protesters carried signs that read "Say no to masks" and "Let the children breathe."

"We are a group of parents who want the choice about whether their kids wear masks or not," said Mike Smith, who called masking a matter of "freedom of choice."

Smith noted Whitefish is the only large school district in Flathead County that is requiring face coverings. The Columbia Falls and Kalispell school districts have made masks optional for all students. He also said the policy causes additional stress after last school year, when instruction was partially or fully remote.

Smith pledged the downtown demonstrations would continue until the school board lifts the mask requirement.

Board Chairwoman Katie Clarke said the board received a lot of input regarding the mask policy and determined mandatory masks for grades K-6 is the safest path forward as part of a six-week plan for the beginning of the school year.

Clarke said the board coronavirus transmission rates go down and vaccination rates go up before it revisits the policy.

"Within the input we received, we heard from parents whose young children have immune issues that would make coming to school and interacting with their classmates, teachers and staff who may be unknowingly infected while choosing not to wear a mask, really dangerous for these vulnerable kiddos," Clarke told the Whitefish Pilot. "We also heard from medical experts who relayed that masks are an effective method of Covid source control and that the delta strain of the virus is infecting children, is incredibly contagious, and is highly prevalent in our valley at this time."

While children have a lower risk of becoming severely ill or dying of Covid-19, they can easily spread the virus to adults through asymptomatic infection.

Some parents have taken issue with the school board's decision following the results of a district survey asking families for their preference on the issue.

Some parents noted the school board made its decision after a survey suggested most families in the district favored making masks optional. The survey garnered 832 responses, including 479 votes for the optional approach; 79 respondents supported recommending masks for all grades, 128 were comfortable with grades K-6 wearing masks, and 270 wanted masks required for all. Respondents could select one or more option.

"There was overwhelming support for optional masks," Smith said. "The school board is trying to placate us and to satisfy some sense that they are listening to the community."

Clarke said she understands the frustration, but noted that in addition to the survey, the board considered information from infectious disease experts, local medical advisers, the Montana Chapter of American Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatrics, all of which agree that masks are necessary for children in schools.

"Our goal is to keep kids in school," Clarke said. "In these times of an infectious, highly contagious, and potentially deadly disease, this involves considering community survey results while also weighing several other factors including the guidance of pediatric and public health experts."

Clarke said the board recognizes that people are tired of wearing masks, but the expert consensus is clear: Masks reduce the spread of the virus.

Flathead County had 690 active coronavirus infections on Tuesday, more than any other county in Montana, according to state data. Cascade and Yellowstone counties had 664 and 639 active cases, respectively.

About 41% of eligible Flathead County residents are fully vaccinated. The statewide rate is 50%.