Thursday night’s Grayson County School Board meeting kicked-off with board attorney David Vickery reading from a prepared statement explaining why no public comment would be allowed after a meeting last month devolved into shouting and cursing during the time allotted for public comment.
At last month’s meeting, the board opened the floor to the approximately 130-150 attendees unhappy with children being forced to wear masks at school. At Thursday night’s meeting, the number of “masking protestors” fell to fewer than 20, with Vickery citing KRS 61.480 and an opinion from the Kentucky attorney general on why no public comment would be allowed.
The board then, in about 13 minutes, made its way through the meeting agenda before adjourning.
There was grumbling among the attendees immediately after the meeting ended, but Superintendent Doug Robinson, in a move he did not have to make, took questions and allowed people to speak for over an hour regarding mask mandates in school.
When asked about masking, Robinson said the board was awaiting the General Assembly’s vote before making a decision, but he did note that prior to Gov. Andy Beshear’s masking mandate being initiated soon after the latest school term began, the board opted to make mask wearing in schools optional.
Of course, a few hours after the meeting ended, Kentucky legislators placed the onus on local school boards to make decisions about masking in schools; a decision the board will presumably make in the coming days.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
