Passionate Mask Debate At Beverly School Committee Meeting

BEVERLY, MA — While the state has at least temporarily taken the decision about masking inside public schools out of the Beverly School Committee's discretion, a group of parents speaking at Wednesday's meeting was critical of both the state mandate and the lack of medical exemptions for students that struggle with wearing the masks.

The first six residents who spoke during public comment shared passionate and sometimes highly emotional stories about how some children are having trouble with mask-wearing because of a medical condition or said they are worried about how the masks are affecting social development.

"At the end of the day it becomes very clear that this parent and several of the parents who spoke today, they're trying to do what's best for their kids," said School Committee Vice Chair John Mullady in reference to communication he had with a parent about the mask policy. "When we boil it down, it's important to keep that in mind. And for the public to keep in mind that we're also doing the best we can and trying to keep the kids safe."

The public comment got derailed at one point when two speakers questioned the qualifications of appointed School Committee member Kenann McKenzie. McKenzie, who has a doctorate in education, was chosen by the City Council and School Committee last December to replace Kelley Ferretti after she resigned her seat three months earlier.

McKenzie was selected to fill the Ward 2 seat through the end of the term and is on the ballot for re-election on Nov. 2. She is running unopposed. The residents also referred to the theoretical teaching of critical race theory while questioning the credentials of McKenzie, who is Black.

"While respecting, at all times, the First Amendment protections of our citizens, we do not condone personal attacks on our members and administrators," Beverly School Committee Chair Rachael Abell said in a statement to Patch. "The opinions expressed by some members of the public at Wednesday night's meeting do not necessarily represent the values of the Beverly Public Schools or the Beverly School Committee."

The Beverly School Committee was set to decide late last month whether to institute a universal mask policy inside schools or follow the previous state guidelines that would have made masks optional for vaccinated students and staff. But the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education revised its guidelines two weeks ago making masks mandatory for all indoors regardless of vaccination status until at least Oct. 1.

At that time, the new guidelines say districts will have the chance to make masks optional for those vaccinated if an individual school reaches a threshold of 80 percent full vaccination for both students and staff.

Beverly Superintendent Susan Charochak said during her report at Wednesday's meeting that the district is currently at 76 percent first-dose vaccination for students ages 12 to 15 and 55 percent for students 16 through 19.

Charochak said additional vaccination clinics will be set up at both the middle and high school next week to try to increase those numbers.

Charochak said the district was still waiting on supplies to begin the state's "Test to Stay" program that allows a student or staff member who is considered a close contact of a positive in school to stay in the classroom with daily testing as long as those tests are negative and the exposed student or staff member does not show symptoms.

She said Beverly Public Schools are not participating in the state's surveillance testing program at this time.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More Patch Coverage: Beverly Schools Press To Increase Student Vaccinations