The Board of Education held a meeting on November 15 to primarily discuss the issue of wearing masks in NHC Public Schools. While the outcome was predictable; it is shocking when you look at evidence as to why the vote should have gone in the opposite direction to their decision to continue masks requirements. A couple of key points, we have been wearing masks in all NHC indoor facilities for the past several months because of a mandate issued by the New Hanover Department of Health and Human Services. Recently, the department who is empowered to make these decisions, reversed the previous mandate, and no longer required masking. This begs the question how much power does this Department have? And, has the Board of Education exceeded their authority? Members of this Board continue to exert their power to make decisions that clearly do not mirror the parents and other concerned citizens who worked hard to get them elected.

We applaud the resolve of the New Hanover County School Parents to write an open letter voicing their concerns of a Board that does not consider the science, nor facts. We will continue to urge our Parents to be vocal and take every opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns. We urge all New Hanover County Residents continue to support our school parents and their children. Please take a couple of minutes to read the informative NHCS Parents open message.

New Hanover County Schools Parents Article

We Are NHCS Parents

November 16, 2021

Subject: New Hanover County Parents Stand Up!

New Hanover County Leaders, Parents, School Board, Taxpayers, Teachers,

Yesterday at a special meeting of the New Hanover County School Board, the board voted (5-2) to force kids and young adults (the lease vulnerable) to continue wearing face coverings (despite updated guidance from NCDHHS, reference 1), multiple studies (reference 2) that say masks are ineffective unless they are N-95s that have been fit tested, and New Hanover County’s own recent vote to DISCONTINUE face coverings among the general population. Face coverings do not offer meaningful protection from airborne viruses.

This vote further tramples parental rights, personal freedoms, and validates current public perception that they do not follow the actual science. It further shows that they do not value the insight of David Howard and NHCDHHS in high esteem. If they held parents, the voting public, the NCDHHS, or David Howard in any esteem, they would have voted for mask choice.

Furthermore, it proves again that they do not value the input of all the parents who have shown up and spoken up at local school board meetings. If they did, they would have voted to honor their dignity of choice. Parental rights continue to be side-stepped, ignored, and violated.

This elected school board, with the exception of a few, are behaving like tyrants! Pete and Nelson are the only two people last night who sounded like human beings who care about and respect New Hanover County’s citizens. The rest of the board sounded drunk on control and power.

We are writing today to once again implore the board to reconsider, and the government bodies to hold them accountable for their gross overreach.

Furthermore, everyone should watch the latest NHCS Board Meeting and listen for the language of some of the members of the board that resemble Hitler, refer to our children as property, and trample our rights and voices as their parents (reference 5).

We are NHCS Parents and we will not be silent. We will not stop standing up for our children.

Standing Guard,

NHCS Parents

1. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article255323971.html

2. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/school-mask-mandates-downside/619952/

3. https://healthpolicy.usc.edu/article/mandatory-masking-of-school-children-is-a-bad-idea/

4. https://wirepoints.org/cdc-squelched-its-own-study-showing-masks-ineffective-for-kids-in-schools-answers-needed-wirepoints-quickpoint/

5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOgpyGTH2xs