Voting down a levy won’t get rid of masks in Tri-City schools. But kids will pay a price

If Tri-City adults want to rail against mask mandates, go right ahead.

But don’t make kids pay the price for your misguided words and actions.

In order for classes to meet in person, school districts must follow state COVID protocols, which include requiring teachers, kids, staff and visitors to mask up.

Failing school levies won’t affect these requirements, yet there have been social media posts circulating in the Tri-Cities erroneously suggesting a connection.

Among the most distressing posts was one that appeared recently on the campaign Facebook page for Kennewick City Councilman Loren Anderson.

He said he wasn’t the one who posted it. Unfortunately, it was visible for a little over a week before it was taken down — so the damage is probably done.

“No to the levy! Please pass the word. It sucks that our kids might suffer a little bit but they’re going to suffer a lot more by having to be forced to wear a mask and the mask issue is all about money and getting funding!! They are blackmailing schools telling them they’re not going to get financing and funding if they don’t play along with the rules…”

Whoever posted this should be ashamed.

For starters, the message is incorrect. Failing a levy will in no way end state COVID vaccine and mask mandates — especially when the omicron variant is still on a rampage.

And secondly, using a Kennewick councilman’s title to promote such a controversial position is unethical.

Anderson told the Herald the post was not authorized by him. So the question is, who made the post and what is Anderson going to do about it?

Anderson told the Herald that several people helping with his campaign have been posting to his page, and he was not aware it was still active.

We know he is new to local politics — having been elected to the city council for the first time in November — but this was an irresponsible post and blaming someone else for it is a serious claim.

To assure his credibility going forward, Anderson needs to let the public know who is responsible for hijacking his Facebook page and promoting false information. Otherwise, how can anyone trust his future posts on social media?

Anderson told the Herald he has no stance on the levy, but called almost all of his children’s teachers “phenomenal” and said they work very hard for their students.

But he also said he was “sorely disappointed with what our local school administration has done to fight for the education of our children.”

What exactly does he think school officials can do?

The state is in charge when it comes to managing COVID in schools, according to Chris Reykdal, the Washington state Superintendent of Public Instruction.

In a statement sent to the Herald, he said, “By order of the Governor, school districts are required to follow these state-level requirements, including the consistent use of face masks in the school environment. The Department of Health is closely following the rates of vaccination and cases of COVID-19 and may adjust the requirements when the science and data support it, but local school districts do not currently have the authority to make that decision on their own.”

Tri-Citians should know by now that state money will be withheld if school districts don’t comply with the mask mandate and other COVID safety requirements — and that’s their primary source of funding.

Money approved for the school levies is essential to continue extra-curricular activities, and pay for most nurses and additional aides, security staff and more.

Along with the money the Kennewick School District receives from the levy, it also receives state matching money, which is critical. For example, the two funding sources combined added up to a total of $31.8 million for this year. If this money is lost, it will force staff reductions and program cuts.

But it’s easy for adults upset with mask mandates to use the levy as a way to vent their frustration — they don’t have a share in the suffering.

If the levy fails, it won’t be the adults whose sports season will be at risk. It won’t be adults who may have to forego jazz band or marching band, choir, art, drama, debate and all other extras the state won’t pay for.

Kids are being used as pawns in the anti-mask debate, and that’s not right.

Everyone wants schools to get back to normal. Everyone wants to get back to pre-COVID days. But failing a levy will not help us get there.

And it certainly won’t get masks out of the classroom.