Parents criticize city school mask policy, allege infiltration of critical race theory
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 — Parents again returned to the Bardstown Independent Schools Board of Education meeting Tuesday to express their views on the school district’s mask mandate and the safety of COVID-19 vaccines on children.
Bardstown parent Candy Massaroni talked about the regulations connected to to the requirements that schools must follow to qualify for federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Masks, vaccinations, contact tracing were all required to get the funds, she said.
She told the board she was going to file Federal Freedom of Information Act requests to get unredacted documents regarding the state and federal requirements for school receiving federal funds.
“Is the reason why our kids have to wear a mask because of these funds?” she asked. “We would like an honest answer, tell us yes or no.”
Superintendent Ryan Clark said the district’s mask policy had nothing to do with the district’s acceptance of federal funds.
Massaroni also asked if vaccination requirements are next. “Are our teachers going to get fired if they’re not vaccinated?”
According to her social media posts, Massoroni plans to challenge state Rep. Chad McCoy in the May 2022 Republican primary.
Boston-area resident Kim Wright took the local media to task for calling parents who attended board meetings and challenge school district mask policy as “misinformation from loud parents.”
She read the First Amendment and said that while she and other parents came to school board meetings to express their grievances, “Apparently the press prefers that we sit down and shut up.”
Wright asked if the board members agreed with statements by the U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, or with the request to the Department of Justic by the National School Board Association seeking their help to stop and prevent acts of violence against school board members.
“If you don’t beleive that parents are the primary stakeholders in their childrens’ education, then you don’t belong on this board.”
Bluegrass Court resident Judith Adams spoke against critical race theory, which she said is infiltrating into our schools.
“We do not have a perfect history, we have done bad things,” she said. “But we’re always looking to improve and do a better job. Divisive teaching is not going to pull us together.”
She said local parents have given the board information on the harmful effects of masks and vaccines have on children.
“We get called conspiracy theorists,” she said. “But its not being published on the news, so you have to go to back channels to get the information.”
She also made a reference to the Georgia Guidestones inscription that suggests reducing the world population to 500 million people, asking the board “is the vaccine part of that plan? Call me a conspiracy theorist.”
The Georgia Guidestones are a granite monument commissioned by R.C. Christian and erected in 1980 approximately 90 miles east of Atlanta. Inscribed on the stones are 10 guidelines in eight modern languages. One of those guidelines includes limiting world population to 500 million people as well as promotion of eugenics.
Board chairman Andy Stone thanked the members of the public who took time to attend the board meeting and express their opinions.
NEXT UP. The Bardstown Board of Education next will meet at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021, at the Central Office building on North Fifth Street.
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