Many of you may have seen the story about the Williamson County School Board meeting that went off the rails a few weeks back. I happen to be a parent of two students and spouse to a teacher in the district. So, earlier this week, when the board announced an emergency meeting to discuss COVID protocols in the face of the startling uptick in cases here, I thought someone has to show up to counter the crazy, and it may as well be me.
The meeting was last night, and I did, in fact, attend. I arrived about 30 minutes ahead of the doors open time to find 50 or so people milling about the cordoned off meeting room entrance area. I could tell from the signs, t-shirts, and snippets of overheard conversation that this was an overwhelmingly anti-mask, anti-vax, anti-science circus of a gathering. The thing is, as crazy as they are, they are pretty well organized. You see, in order to keep meetings to a reasonable length the WCS Board limits the public comment portion to 30 minutes with a maximum of 30 speakers. The protesters organize ahead of time to arrive early enough to monopolize all the speaking slots, and it appeared they had done so for last night’s meeting.
I figured I was out of luck, but then I heard a few people asking if anyone needed a number to speak. Now, these aren’t official pull-tag numbers from the Board clerk. The protesters simply write out 1 through 30 on scraps of paper, distribute the numbers among themselves, and line up in their self-delineated numerical order. I had been milling about, mostly keeping to myself, so hearing no other takers for their available numbers I went up to the leader to ask for a one. He gladly handed it over. I suppose keeping quiet sometimes helps. I lined up with the group and made idle small talk, staying careful not to say anything that might expose me as mole in their midst.
The doors opened and we started to file in. After going through the security check I donned my face mask as I entered the meeting room proper. Being on the rational side and fully vaccinated, I don’t typically mask up when I’m outside, but I always do when indoors in a public space. I’d say the mask wear rate was in the neighborhood of 10-20% of the 100-120 people in the room. I’m willing to wager at least a couple people caught themselves a fresh case of COVID there.
I waited patiently through 10 or so speakers. Among the arguments against masks was a supposed study that says surgeons should not wear masks during surgery (I thought we settled that around the turn of the century … the one that happened ~120 years ago!). Another woman argued that since her kids have nut allergies and have to attend school in an unsafe environment why should her kids have to do anything for the safety of others? Of course, this comepletely ignores the fact that when a teacher has a nut allergy in her class s/he forbids all their students from bringing nuts and nut based products into the class, and if s/he sees any such products, removes them. I know this is fact becuase of my teacher spouse. But, facts aren’t overly important to this crowd.
Anyway, my turn to speak came up. I pulled my mask down under my chin at the lectern so as to be heard. I had tried to jot down some speaking points ahead of time, but it pretty much went out the window, as some jitters creapt in in the face of the animosity I knew I was about to experience. I acknowledged the intense emotions around the issue. I think I mentioned being so, so, tired of dealing with this pandemic. Then I got to the crux of my point which was that last year, both my kids made it though the entire school year, including the in person learning that started way too early toward the end of 2020, without receiving a single notification from the district or health department about a close contact for either of my rugrats. However, in the first two weeks of this school year we have already received SIX such letters, and my youngest has had to actually quarantine due to her reading partner testing positve (my kiddo was masked and did not get sick). What’s the difference between this year and last? Masks and distancing. I wrapped up with a firm “Masks work! The vaccine works!” and headed out. I wasn’t about to hang around for the end of the meeting where I would likely have to run a gauntlet of vicious reality deniers. The chair had announced sheriff’s escorts would be available for anyone who requested one, but I just didn’t want to chance it.
I don’t know if any of the speakers who followed me were of the pro-science and reason ilk. Thankfully, despite the onslaught of denialism and vitriol thrown at the board, they actually voted to expand the mask mandate that has been in effect for elementary (1st-5th here) only, to all grades. Unfortunately, our dolt of a governer appears to believe he’s falling behind DeSantis and Abbott in the race to the bottom and has made it state policy that all school districts must allow any and all requests for a mask exemption.
From what I hear the meeting closed with a chorus of threats against the board members and the medical community which isn’t much of a surprise. It’s certainly less surprising the the small glimpse of sanity the board showed with their vote.
