Northern Lehigh School District’s decision to continue to follow the state mandate that masks be required in schools has once again sparked concerns from several parents who again spoke out Monday against the measure.

Chad Christman of Slatington told the board that it abruptly ended last month’s meeting while there were still questions and concerns about the legality of the orders.

Christman told the board he doesn’t envy them, and they understand that it’s “a very sticky situation to be in.”

“We just want you guys to stand up for us,” Christman said. “Do what’s right.”

Christman said in regards to current school district policies with exposures, “it seems there’s a lot of confusion, and it almost seems to vary school to school and case by case.”

“There’s been instances where you get an exposure within five days if you’re symptom-free, you get a test and you can return,” he said. “But if you’re in exposure to a close family member, now you’ve got to add another 10 to 14 days; on top of that, you could have a child who was positive, completely recovered, goes back to school before a person who’s exposed within the household.

“This stuff doesn’t make any sense. Doesn’t make any sense at all.”

Eric King discussed ESSER funds, and alluded to a board meeting in the spring that in great length discussed water bottles.

“As we all know, one of the main reasons school boards are dismissive about defying the governor’s mandates and so forth about masks is because they’re afraid they’re going to lose funding for things,” King said. “Here now we have the funding, we were promised water bottles; our kids are still told to bring their own water bottles into school every day.

“We’re stuck with mask mandates, and where did that money go for water bottles and bubble stations to fill those water bottles, meanwhile our kids are stuck wearing masks because you guys are scared of losing the funding.”

Superintendent Matthew J. Link responded.

“Initially when we were looking at water bottles, they were going to be close to $20,000 for children K-12,” Link said. “We were looking for other vendors to provide a different type of water bottle, so we can use that money for water bottles, but also have money to put toward other projects.”

Director/board secretary Gale Husack then read an email submitted by Justin Jachowicz of Slatington.

“Another month goes by and our school board and superintendent are still discriminating against the public, and not allowing maskless speakers into the meeting,” Jachowicz said. “The rest of the state continues on with life while people attend fall festivals, amusement parks, high school sporting events, college and professional games with 50,000-plus fans, but we cannot have a group of 50 people sit in a large auditorium without masks. Absolutely absurd.”

Jachowicz said he emailed Link and the school board on Oct. 1 with specific questions such as where are the studies, data and evidence to show masks, specifically cloth masks, prevent the spread of COVID-19; and where are the studies, data and evidence to show that COVID-19 spreads through schools, including data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health contact tracing.

“These are questions I have asked since the beginning of the pandemic, and have not received any response or attempts at responses from Mr. Link or anyone on the school board,” Jachowicz said.

Jachowicz also asked what quantitative metric needs to be achieved for masks to be optional at NLSD; where is the data that shows masks are working to prevent the spread of COVID-19 since being implemented on Sept. 7 compared to being mask optional prior to that point; how long will they force students to miss in-person education for 10-20 days in a row when there is no state of emergency or quarantine requirement anywhere else in the state; and how long will the district waste countless hours of manpower from high level administrators and school nurses to conduct contact-tracing within the school when it’s not the responsibility or expertise of these people to do so.

“It is the job of Mr. Link and the school board to respond to the questions from the public, and if they do not do so in a timely fashion, they can be petitioned to be removed from their positions in a court of law,” he said.

Link responded to Jachowicz’s questions.

“That information has been asked and answered. It’s been in the NLSD board approved Health and Safety Plan since approved earlier this year and is in the FAQ links within that plan.

“There is no quantitative metric, it is an order which we are bound to uphold, it will only be considered to remove it when the order is lifted.

“All districtwide data is reported on the district website, it is updated at the end of each day usually between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.

“As long as the NLSD health and safety plan is in place.”