If the Wayland Board of Education meeting Monday night was a movie, it could be titled, “Torches and Pitchforks: The Sequel.”
Torches and pitchforks is a common description journalists use to describe when an angry mob invades a public session, sometimes marred by unruly behavior.
The citizens’ group that has been visiting board meetings for the last three months stopped in again to lodge complaints about vaccines, masks and Critical Race Theory. The last of the three issues (CRT) was brought up for the first time only a month ago, but it dominated the discussion Monday evening.
Tempers flared, threats were made and one of the group’s members, who identified himself as John Rotha of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington D.C., was escorted out of the Fine Arts Center, shouting to the board, “We have been pushed around for long enough. We won’t go back to the way it was before… Recall proceedings aren’t that difficult.”
“Rotha” began the meeting by interrupting Board President Dan Cassini to lodge objections and he was particularly triggered by Casini gaveling down Nico Willingham, a juvenile, because the lad didn’t follow the procedure of stating his address. One of Nico’s defenders said she was appalled by his treatment and insisted the Open Meetings Act doesn’t require the public to provide an address.
After public safety officer Matt Miller escorted “Rotha” from the premises, two police officers were summoned and the board took a 15-minute recess before things calmed down.
However, the public criticisms continued from about two dozen people, who gathered together in the parking lot and came into the meeting together, just like they did in May and June.
Young Willingham, after the recess, told the board he believes it is better for him to be home schooled than return to the classroom.
Olivia Jones said her grades suffered and she suspected mental health as well, promising, “If Critical Race Theory is taught, I will ask my mom to homeschool.”
There is considerable debate nationwide about just what Critical Race Theory is, but the band of parents and citizens insisted it promotes racial hatred toward white people, Marxism, socialism and puts students against one another.
Jeff Coon maintained the school district is usurping control of information from their children by “teaching them what to think rather than how to think.”
One woman who said she was a medical professional said she routinely was seeing children as young as 6 years old attempting to commit suicide because of being forced to wear masks and observe Covid-19 pandemic protocols.
Gina Warren told board members, “As a parent, I’m over the mask. If Wayland teaches CRT, I will not send my child to school. This is indoctrinating our children.”
There is no evidence that CRT is being taught here at the elementary, junior high or high school levels and Superintendent Dr. Christine Hinds repeated her assertion that Wayland will start school late next month with five days in the classroom and plans now are to make wearing masks optional, unless otherwise ordered by the health department or Centers for Disease Control.
Jon Richardson said CRT has been all over the news lately, and it uses language such as diversity, anti-racism, collective guilt and systemic racism. He asked who is the architect of CRT.
The board did not respond to the commentary, particularly after “Rotha” left the building, when Cassini said, “I can’t reiterate this enough, but this meeting must be respectful.”
“Rotha,” on his way out of the Fine Arts Center, shouted the promise that the pressure groups will be back for subsequent meetings and recalls are not out of the question.
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