Vaccine and mask mandates were addressed and a Saugus High School teacher was honored at a William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board meeting on Wednesday.
During a regular Hart District board meeting Tuesday evening, coronavirus mandates at schools were contested and Saugus High School teacher and California Teacher of the Year Jim Klipfel was recognized.
Indoor mask mandates have been in effect throughout Los Angeles County, including the Santa Clarita Valley’s schools, for months.
However, on Oct. 1, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced all students between the ages of 12 to 17 in California public schools would be required to get vaccinated before stepping on campus.
See Related: California Students Required To Get Vaccinated, To Affect Santa Clarita Schools
Enforcement of the new requirement in the Hart District has sparked outrage in some parents and students, who spoke against both mask and vaccine mandates during the board meeting.
Placerita Junior High student Blake Regan spoke about being required to wear a mask during intense outdoor physical activity at his school.
“I overheat and sometimes just have to sit down for a minute and it sucks because we’re forced to wear them,” Regan said. “I have to wear one so that I don’t get screamed at by a teacher.”
Others mentioned mental and physical medical conditions like anxiety and asthma that make masking more difficult for some.
“There’s nothing that states that these masks work, nothing, not one piece of evidence that shows that this is helping anyone,” said Santa Rivera, mother of a student at Saugus High School. “And for those students like my daughter, who are suffering from anxiety, it’s even worse.”
Jerry, a parent of two seniors at Saugus High School who did not provide his last name, was one of the people who spoke about the harassment he said unvaccinated students face.
“My friend’s kid is getting bullied, because now it’s no longer black, white, tall, small, fat or skinny,” Jerry said. “It’s vaxxed versus unvaxxed.”
Marissa, a senior at Valencia High School who also did not provide her last name, was the only commenter to express support for the enforcement of masking requirements in indoor areas on school campuses.
“For me, I feel more comfortable wearing the mask,” Marissa said. “I have teachers who enforce the masks very strongly. I don’t view them in a strict or negative way, I view them as trying to protect me.”
See Related: Saugus High School Teacher Named California Teacher Of The Year
Earlier in the meeting, Saugus High School teacher Jim Klipfel was celebrated by board members for his work within the Hart District that led to his reception of multiple Teacher of the Year awards.
Klipfel has been named Saugus Teacher of the Year, a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year and a California Teacher of the Year for 2020 and 2021. He was also nominated for National Teacher of the Year.
The history teacher and swim coach faced multiple challenges in the past two years as a faculty member at Saugus High School, including a school shooting, a major fire and the coronavirus pandemic.
“Every time I’ve seen you on campus you’re just positive, uplifting, encouraging through some of the hard times we’ve had at Saugus,” said Cherise Moore, president of the board. “I thank you so much for giving of yourself to helping to make our district better.”
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