Testimony against indoor masking rule fills contentious Board of Education meeting

Dozens of testifiers referred to as for an finish to the COVID-19 indoor masking rule for Hawaii’s public colleges throughout an unusually contentious meeting of the state Board of Education as we speak.

A gaggle opposing masking in colleges, Unmask Our Keiki, had organized group members to testify. Some individuals who spoke throughout the greater than two hours of public testimony shouted at board members and state colleges interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi, and some refused to cease talking on the finish of their allotted 1 minute.

BJ Penn, the UFC fighter and Republican gubernatorial candidate, was among the many roughly 50 individuals who testified on-line or in person who they consider masks are harming youngsters’s bodily and psychological well being, and/or that the DOE is exceeding its authorized authority and oldsters ought to have the ability to select. “I could go on and on, but you guys is all gone when I get in (to office),” Penn mentioned, gesturing to the board members and Hayashi.

The state Department of Education rule mandates indoor masking for all college students and faculty workers within the 257 common public colleges and all DOE services by means of the top of the varsity 12 months, May 27. Whether masking will proceed to be required throughout DOE summer season applications and subsequent college 12 months has not but been introduced. Outdoor masking has been elective in any respect 257 of Hawaii’s common public college campuses since March 9.

Two thirds of Hawaii residents not too long ago surveyed mentioned they “strongly support” or “somewhat support” the DOE’s coverage to require college students to stay masked whereas indoors on campus, in accordance with SMS Hawaii, a market analysis and consulting firm.