Kennewick schools may voice opinion on WA governor’s emergency powers
Kennewick school leaders are expected to endorse legislative efforts to curb the governor’s emergency powers.
The school board unanimously decided to put together a resolution supporting two bills aimed at curbing the length of a state of emergency.
Senate Bill 5909 and House Bill 1772 are two of those efforts, and would give the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate to end a state of emergency after 90 days.
The school board is looking at a resolution aimed at showing support for the measures at its Feb. 9 meeting. The resolution is simply a statement of support or opposition.
The decision followed teary pleas and fiery recriminations from students and parents looking to end mask requirements.
Newly elected school board member Micah Valentine suggested seeing what would happen if the district loosened the restrictions.
“If we were to stop the mandates, there is a 15-day window, right?” said Valentine, who rode a wave of people upset about COVID requirements into office. “Pull it for 15 days, put it back on the 13th day, put it back on the 13th day. Wait a week, pull it back for 13 days.”
Valentine’s comments came in response to a description of what would happen if the school tried to ignore the requirement.
The state would send a notice giving the district 15 days to comply. After that the district could face losing funding that passes through the state.
The revenue from the state makes up the majority of the district’s budget.
The only district that tried to ignore the state was Kittitas School District, which reversed course shortly after the state threatened to pull funding.
Omicron surge and masks
School districts across the Tri-Cities have been hit hard by the surge in COVID caused by the omicron variant.
Last week, the district reported that 872 students tested positive, the largest in a single week. They also had 82 staff test positive.
The high number of students and staff absent have placed strain on the school district.
Superintendent Traci Pierce said the staff care deeply about students and public education and have worked hard to navigate the pandemic.
“Today is a challenge that none of us signed up for and none of us asked for,” Pierce said. “I heard someone say tonight that they hate COVID. I think that’s something that we can all agree on.”
Pierce said there has been a drop in test scores compared to 2019, which was an impact from COVID.
While the sudden increase in cases has impacted the district, the mask mandate brought dozens to the school board meeting, and about an hour of public testimony.
Many of them pointed out that mortality rates among children from COVID are low, and claimed that they were putting the health of adults ahead of the health of kids.
They raised concerns about students who decided not to wear their masks in protest being belittled and pressured into putting them on.
“The net effect is a climate of suspicion and fear for all sides, but primarily targeting our students,” one parent said.
Speakers claimed students were suffering from not being able to see others faces, and that it has increased stress, anxiety and other mental disorders among children. And it makes it harder to communicate.
“Since we have been wearing masks at school I have felt like I don’t know anyone and I get very lonesome,” one high school student said. “I have teachers who will yell at kids in the whole class if we don’t have them over their nose.”
Board member Gabe Galbraith, who also elected after supporting anti-mandate sentiments, said he and Richland School Board member Audra Byrd had put together a letter opposing masks that had been circulated among other school board leaders. He said more than 170 school directors had signed the letter.