Hot topic: WSCD board wants 'masks optional'

Posted at 13:30 hours on July 22, 2021

The Brillion News

WRIGHTSTOWN - The Wrightstown Community School Board played to a full house and re-arranged its agenda to accommodate the crowd when it met on June 21 in the high school library..

The two big topics were COVID-related restrictions on students for the start of the 2021-2022 school year, and the accommodations the school will make since a biological boy, who says he is transgendered, wants to use the girls' bathrooms.

One woman spoke in favor of requiring that masks be worn by students and teachers because she has a child who is placed at risk by the virus. Another woman spoke in favor of bathroom use that favors what the transgendered youth wants.

Most of the parents opposed both of those views and argued that a small minority should not rule the large majority.

The school board approved a fall Back-To-School & COVID Mitigation plan after it was outlined by Superintendent Carla Buboltz.

The plan's major points:

• Face coverings will be optional on school grounds, but required on school buses (by federal order)

• Physical distancing will be practiced, along with hand washing

• Flexibility in policies and practices will be maintained at all times to match changing realities

• Children with fevers must stay home

• Children who test positive for COVID will have to quarantine for up to 10 days

• Vaccination will not be required of students, but parents will be informed of opportunities for vaccinations

Athletics will follow guidelines promulgated by the WIAA and the North Eastern Conference

Buboltz noted that, when the district eased restrictions in the late spring and summer, there was no increase in COVID cases.

The district agreed not to push vaccination or any other health opinion on students. Parents said such pressure is inappropriate and amounts to bullying.

Buboltz said that sports venues will reopen to normal attendance, and the schools will again use field trips as a curricular resource.

As for a biological male using girls' bathrooms, Buboltz said the schools cannot make the student use a unisex bathroom and, because of federal court rulings, must let the boy use whatever bathroom he wants.

The father of a female student put his thoughts in clear language: "I've got to protect my daughter."

Another parent said the schools need to stand up and refuse to go along with the bathroom use proscriptions.

~Ed Byrne/BN

This is a brief summary of a complete report that will appear in the July 29 print edition of THE BRILLION NEWS.. That paper will be available at area newsstands and convenience stores on July 29.