There were some really heated school board races throughout the five-county Times News region last year. Most of them were fueled by angry parents who took issue with masking and vaccine regulations being imposed by boards of education.

Many boards are newly composed now with some of these critics, who are making good on their promises to change the regulations. The new board members took over in early December, and they have been on the job now for a little more than two months. They promised to make waves, and they are.

None has been more controversial than the battle that has come to a head between the Southern Lehigh School District Board of Education and St. Luke’s University Health Network.

Southern Lehigh is centered in Coopersburg at the southern tip of Lehigh County adjacent to the Berks County line. It includes the borough of Coopersburg and Lower Milford and Upper Saucon townships.

On Jan. 24, the school board voted 6-3 to remove St. Luke’s as a collaborating partner with the district’s health and safety plan because its guidance does not match up with the board majority’s views any more.

The decision blindsided St. Luke’s, which was unaware that such a vote was even being contemplated and had not been notified of the board’s intention to address the matter.

St. Luke’s CEO and President Rick Anderson said after reading accounts of the board’s action, he waited for about a week to be contacted by the school board or administration to let him know officially about the action or to request a meeting to discuss differences.

The board’s vote included removal of St. Luke’s name from the cover of the safety plan, alleging that the health network’s policies no longer align with the district’s COVID-19 policies.

When no contact came, Anderson sent a letter to the board complaining of its “disrespectful behavior.” Anderson’s letter also said: “One would have thought … someone would have had the courtesy to alert a St. Luke’s representative in advance that the issue concerning masking and St. Luke’s would be discussed at a public meeting. What happened to respect and collegiality? It is unfortunate that you chose to allow St. Luke’s to become a ‘crash test dummy’ for a misguided political agenda.”

A school board spokesman said the item was not on the agenda and came up after a school board member noted that St. Luke’s had recommended that districts continue to have students wear masks.

After receiving Anderson’s letter, the school district reached out to Anderson in an effort to discuss improving communication among board members, the administration and St. Luke’s. The two sides have been trying to undo the trust damage that has occurred.

Anderson said that Luke’s relationship with the district will continue in the area of athletic training and associated health care issues, but it will not offer assistance with COVID-19 protocols in the future.

“The point of my letter is to state that our culture within St. Luke’s does not tolerate disrespectful behavior, either directed at St. Luke’s as an organization or its representatives, by anyone,” Anderson wrote. “I am appalled by the tone of the comments from your school board members … at the Jan. 25 meeting. Disagreement on issues and free speech is the backbone of our nation, however, discourtesy and disrespect as expressed at your meeting toward St. Luke’s is not acceptable.”

The school board voted on Jan. 11 to switch to a mask-optional policy that went into effect 10 days later. St. Luke’s, on the other hand, had recommended to local school districts that they require masking in the face of significantly rising COVID cases at area hospitals.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.