Parents Protest Mask Mandates as Richland Schools Emergency Closure Continues

(Richland, WA) -- The Richland School District Board recently voted in favor of defying Washington state's indoor mask mandate. There's been a great deal of controversy and confusion since then--prompting two emergency closures, and a rally at Richland's John Dam Plaza.

What Happened
Richland School Board Member Semi Bird made a motion at a Richland School Board meeting Tuesday night. That motion was to vote on making face masks optional within the district. Amanda Byrd, and Kari Williams voted in line with Semi Bird while Jill Oldson and Rick Jansons voted against. Ultimately, that meant a 3-2 result in favor of defying the statewide mandate. Subsequent backlash and uncertainty among RSD staff and administration forced an emergency closure on Wednesday while officials tried to figure out what the next step was. The Board held an emergency meeting to consult with legal counsel regarding the mask mandate and Open Public Meetings Act. At the around same time the meeting was taking place, demonstrators gathered along George Washington Way in Richland to show support for board's decision.

"We had passed exactly what we asked for and somebody decided to take that away from out kids...so, here we are," said event organizer Francine Warner.

The school district announced Wednesday night that it would be closed again on Thursday. In an email letter sent out to parents, RSD Superintendent Shelley Redinger clarified it was her who enacted the closures.

The Controversy
Many within the district are concerned, not only that the move could more easily expose students and staff to coronavirus, but also that opposing the state mandate could result in a loss of state funding.

"We cannot supersede the mandates of the state government. I took an oath of office, to uphold the state laws that are implemented. It doesn't matter my personal opinion or desire," said Board President Oldson.

Additionally, there is debate over the validity of the decision. The motion made Tuesday night was allegedly made without prior notice in the meeting agenda, and seemingly caught both Oldson and Jansons by surprise. Proper policy protocol requires boards to publicly note certain items in their agenda before making decisions on them--even if it is a special meeting.

What the State Has to Say
The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent a notice to the district Wednesday. If the district does not take corrective action within 15 days, it will have five more to do so before monthly payments start being withheld. There’s some discussion over what "withheld" exactly means. Some believe the funding will simply be held until the district reenters compliance with state guidelines; others fear the funding could be entirely forfeited.

The Kettle Falls School District received a similar notice earlier this week after its board voted to remove its mask requirement. Meanwhile, 40 school districts from the eastern part of the state penned letter to Governor Jay Inslee, Health Secretary Umair Shaw, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Rykdal requesting that the mandates be lifted for schools. There was also a lawsuit filed against Rykdal in Benton-Franklin Superior Court on February 9th. The 58-page suit alleges that he overstepped his authority by threatening to withhold funding from schools that do not comply with the COVID-19 related mandates.

What Next?
The Richland School District will remain closed Thursday. Governor Inslee is hosting a press conference at 2pm PT. He will be joined by Rykdal, Shaw, and COVID Deputy Response Secretary Lacey Fehrenbach. Last week, Inslee mentioned that the guidance on indoor masking could be changing soon. It is expected he will issue an update on indoor masking requirements. The current outdoor masking requirement for larger gatherings will be lifted on Friday.

We will carry the press conference live on Newsradio 610 KONA.