On Tuesday, Sept. 7, the Lake Central School Board made the decision to cancel the scheduled meeting due to disrespect and disorderly conduct from community members protesting the mask mandate. The mandate has been a repeatedly heated topic of discussion and has brought both parents and members of surrounding communities to the meetings. President Mrs. Cindy Sues announced that the next meeting will not be open to the public, but will be livestreamed only. Attendees soon became vocal about their feelings towards the board’s decision.
A member of the crowd voiced her concerns about the board’s motive behind the mask mandate, stating: “This is not about safety, this is not about stats. Lake Central is set to get $6.1 million in funding from the government if everybody masks up. This is about control.”
A woman from Valparaiso stated that her husband, a member of the Teachers’ Union in Portage, withdrew himself from the organization because of the district’s decisions relating to COVID-19. He later was told by his employer to go home because he did not comply with the mask mandate.
“We’re fortunate enough that we can stand up and do this, but there is a certain point in time that we have to stop waking up the sheep. We have to come together as lions and start coordinating together. I have people in Boone Grove, I have people in Washington Township schools, in Valpo, in Portage, Chesterton and Michigan City. We will win more things, but we have to come together; we have to be civil, we have to communicate together,” the woman said.
A small group was also gathered outside of the door to the school. Police were stationed at the door to assist with offering masks and enforcing the mandate in the building. Many people who wished to attend the meeting were denied entry due to refusal to wear a mask. Corinne DeYoung, one of the community members who stayed outside, commented on her reasoning for attending the meeting.
“It’s sad that our school district that supposedly teaches history and science is going against history and science, all for political gain. We’re going to keep coming until we liberate,” DeYoung said.
The rescheduled date of the meeting has not yet been announced, but it will be closed to the public and livestreamed only. The board will discuss topics originally scheduled for the Sept. 7th meeting.