Protest planned over mask rules at Hamilton County school board meeting

A group of parents plans to protest against Hamilton County Schools mask requirements that are staying in place through the end of the school year at the school board meeting on Thursday.

The protest announcement comes on the heels of the district’s announcement Monday that masks will be optional for students and staff, but not until June 1.

Lisa Willard is the parent of a high school freshman in Hamilton County. She said a lot of parents have reached out to her about not liking the mask requirement and that they want to choose whether their children wear masks.

“We as parents know our children the best,” Willard told the Times Free Press on Wednesday. “We determine the medical necessity of things for our children. That’s not something the school should be determining.”

Hamilton County Schools announced in a Monday social media post that masks will be optional beginning June 1 for all students and staff. The last day of school is May 27, so the lifting of the ban will have no practical effect for most students this school year.

“We’re finishing this school year with the mitigation strategies that have allowed us to hold in-person instruction 88% of the school year during a global pandemic,” reads a statement by schools spokesperson Cody Patterson.

Although the mask requirement becomes optional in less than three weeks, Willard said the protest was

County Board of Education Member

› Charles Lowery Jr., former Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief of Law Enforcement

› Dean Moorhouse, Harris Ruritan Club Foundation President

› Andrew Mullins

› Shannon Stephenson, Cempa Community Care CEO

Commission Chairman Chip Baker said Tuesday that the commission will vote on the replacement on June 2, the first meeting after Bankston is gone. With an even number of commissioners left voting and a sizable list of candidates, reaching a consensus may be difficult.

“There are a lot of good candidates now,” Baker said. “So we’ll see how that goes.”

The Times Free Press will update this developing story upon receipt of the application materials from the commission office.

STAFF PHOTO BY C.B. SCHMELTER A man carries his mask while walking downtown on April 29 in Chattanooga. Hamilton County’s mask mandate expired on April 28. The mandate has been described by Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger as the most controversial policy decision of his career.