rachelh@myweeklysentinel.com
CANTON — Local parents have recently voiced their opinion on the state’s mask mandate as well as Canton Area School District announcing that they will comply with the rule.
Pamela Denlinger, a local resident, wants to let the community know of their rights and by doing so, has started “Freedom Fridays” in which her group peacefully protests outside of the high school on Main Street in Canton. That will take place from 7:30-8:30 a.m. every Friday.
“We’re asking people to come out Fridays, and support unmasking our kids,” said Denlinger. “Just stand with us in solidarity.”
Denlinger, along with some Canton Area School District parents, have been peacefully protesting the mask mandate outside of the school since the September school board meeting when the district’s board of education announced that they will comply with the state’s mask mandate.
“Parents are really upset with the mask mandates, but they don’t know what to do. They feel helpless,” said Denlinger.
One parent who was protesting noted her on-going issues with the school administration concerning her 9-year-old daughter not wanting to wear masks due to anxiety. She is having a hard time going back and forth between the administration and her primary care physician to get the 504 form completed so that her daughter may not wear a mask throughout the school day.
“It’s basically a disability plan for my kid. We’re trying anything we can do to keep her in school,” said the parent. “She is scared. She has some stress and anxiety but she is happy to be in school with her friends.”
“We’re very disappointed that our school boards don’t have the courage to stand up for our Constitutional rights. Individual school boards could stand up and say ‘No, we are not going to comply with illegal mandates’ and stand for our children and our families’ rights. They will pay for that because the parents can file complaints against them district with the Pennsylvania Human Resources Commission,” said Denlinger, who noted they are civil rights complaints.
“Student rights, in our opinion, are being violated,” said Denlinger.
Though many parents are choosing to still send their child to school, Denlinger says they may feel helpless in the situation and that she wants to be an advocate for the students.
“So we are trying to connect with people and encourage them so that together we have a voice. The more we’ve learned about these illegal mask mandates, the more certain we are that the school districts really can stand up to these mandates without consequence.”
Denlinger spoke of Attorney Eric Winter of Prince Law Firm, who has worked closely with the Bradford County Special Project Group specifically for this topic. She has been following his legal counsel to school boards. She said that Winter has been working on a law suit on behalf of Bradford County to the state of Pennsylvania.
The BCSPG is planning an event on Tuesday, Sept. 28, from 6-8 p.m. at Alparon Park to educate citizens on what they can do to protect their rights. Along with Winter, Dr. Nche Zama, MD and PHD, and Bob Raimo will speak. The event is labeled as “Take Back Our Schools.”
More information on the BCSPG can be found at www.bcspg.com.
Denlinger noted that she has started a home school support group for parents who need advice for those services.
The school district responded to parent concerns with a letter to the public which states:
Canton School District Community:
I know the past couple of weeks have been trying times for many families and students within our district. On August 31, Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced a mask mandate for all K-12 schools in Pennsylvania. The Canton Area School District Board recognizes that this announcement has sparked a wide range of questions and different viewpoints from across the community. While the Board can appreciate that this mandate has both supporters and opposition, we would like to remind the community that this decision has been made at a state-wide level. Although the decision has been made at the state level, the decision has created division within our community and now more than ever we need to work together to support the students and families of the district.
Moreover, we strongly feel that continued debate on this matter is taking our administrators and teachers away from our mission, Focus on Learning: Every child, every day, “The Warrior Way!”
As a school board we would like to stress the following points:
• At our August 12, 2021, school board meeting, the Canton Area School District board of directors approved the CASD Health and Safety Plan allowing masks to be optional for our students.
• This plan allowed the parents to choose on whether their child would be wearing a face covering, providing local control to our school boards.
• The Department of Health took that choice away with the issue of the Face Covering Order on August 31, 2021.
• The board is waiting to hear what the judge will rule in the injunction hearing scheduled in September
If you wish to take this matter up further, we recommend that you reach out to your local state representative and share with them your concerns you have around the current face covering mandate.
Canton Area School Board of Directors
A video concerning this topic can also be found on the school district’s website: www.canton.k12.pa.us/21-22-school-year-planning/