'There's no middle ground': Parents suing school district over mask mandate
Parents in Iowa are suing their school district over its mask mandate.
The parents say they're frustrated with Harlan Community Schools as they say other districts in the area are ending their mandates.
This comes as the CDC said fully vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask in most indoor places.
The interim superintendent said they want to make room for families who aren't comfortable with the mask mandate. But Lynn Johnson said they're also following recommendations from health experts since all students aren't fully vaccinated.
Parents and students like Jameson Bieker gathered outside Harlan Community High School Thursday.
"I think that people should have the right to choose what they believe," Jameson said. "I definitely do not like wearing masks. I feel like it's not the best for me."
After expressing concerns about the mask mandate the entire school year, Jameson's parents Jim and Sharon said they decided to file a lawsuit and injunction against the district.
"We have made the decision as a family to take it as far as we need to take it," Sharon said.
On Wednesday, the district started separating students who choose not to wear a mask from students who do.
"Yesterday, I got stopped in the hallway well before I made it to class and pretty much just got put in the auditorium all day," Jameson said.
Thursday was the second day the district placed students who don't wear a mask in other areas like the auditorium and library. But Johnson said this is not a punishment.
"(We're) trying to find the means to continue to keep educating those students but yet separating from the classrooms where masks are required," Johnson said.
Parents said they heard of students being denied meals if they didn't wear masks. Johnson said there was a situation Thursday morning where a food service personnel told a student they had to wear a mask to get breakfast.
"That is really not how we're going to do business. We need to serve our kids food regardless so that's been rectified and it won't happen again," Johnson said.
She said she understands where parents like Jameson's are coming from. But she said she has to consider other perspectives too.
"Masks or not masks. There's no middle ground there—wear it halfway? That's not a middle ground," Johnson said. "So it's a little bit more difficult to resolve"
Johnson said the mask guidelines are put together by the school board.
School board president Amy Rueschenberg sent this statement to KETV Newswatch 7:
"The Harlan Community School District Board of Directors is committed to providing the students, staff, and visitors to the school a safe environment when in the district's buildings and attending school functions. The district has successfully navigated the pandemic with minimal disruption. Harlan Community School District has been successful in keeping students and staff safe and in face-to-face learning all year by following the CDC and state and local public health guidelines and recommendations. The district is trying to adjust and accommodate quickly to those students who are recently needing mask accommodations for specific reasons. The Harlan Community School Board is willing to consider modifying current practices if the conditions or data indicate that is what is best for students and staff."