Some local governments around the state are bringing back mask mandates, but Johnson County is not likely to follow suit.
Several residents brought up mask mandates during a Johnson County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday, despite the fact that no such discussion was on the board’s agenda. Two people spoke against mandates at local schools, and one person spoke for it.
The county has no authority over schools, but may write a letter to local districts asking them to refrain from mandating masks. The letter was not ready for review Monday, but may be by the commissioners’ next meeting Aug. 23, commissioner Ron West said.
The letter would be similar to one sent to schools by St. Joseph County Commissioners. In it, the commissioners asked schools not to implement any further COVID-19 restrictions.
During the meeting, West and commissioner Brian Baird repeated their stances that wearing a mask should be a personal choice.
“Nothing that I have heard overrides the fact that it is a personal choice and it is the right of the individual to make that choice for their own health,” Baird said.
West downplayed the severity of the virus but did not provide data or research to back it up. Masks don’t work and COVID-19 is not serious enough to mandate masks, he said.
Commissioner Kevin Walls said he disagrees with Baird and West, but didn’t elaborate further.
“I can argue all day long, but it would be 2-1 so I’ll leave it at that,” Walls said.
Residents focused on schools because they believe the Johnson County Health Department is pushing schools toward a mask mandate. But that is not true, said Betsy Swearingen, health department director.
The health department cannot create a mask mandate on their own authority and is not pushing schools to mandate masks, she said.
The health department recommends schools follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says everyone should wear a mask in schools regardless of vaccination status.
However, the health department cannot make decisions for schools and their advice is for district leaders to consider in their decision-making process, Swearingen said.
Health department recommendations only carry as much weight as school leaders give them, as Gov. Eric Holcomb has left decisions on masking in schools up to each district.
So far, local school leaders aren’t making any changes to mask policies. State health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box last month asked school leaders to rethink their decisions in light of the CDC’s guidance.
Additional COVID-19 restrictions for the county, cities and towns would have to come from the county commissioners, mayors or town councils, as a law passed this year took away a health department’s ability to create such a mandate.
No local governments or schools have asked for the health department’s advice on mask mandates, Swearingen said Monday.
Franklin and Greenwood are not planning to mandate masks again, mayors said. Other nearby cities, such as Indianapolis and Columbus, reinstated mask mandates in government buildings.
Greenwood will keep in place its recommendation that unvaccinated visitors to city buildings should wear masks, Mayor Mark Myers said.
Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett won’t make any changes unless advised to do so by local or state health departments. He encourages residents to get vaccinated, socially distance and wear a mask if it makes them more comfortable, he said.
The residents who spoke against mask mandates at the commissioners meeting said decisions should be up to parents, not school officials, and asked the commissioners to do what they could to prevent mask mandates.
Heather McMurry told the commissioners her daughter had a tough time adjusting to masks in school last year, and the idea of asking her to mask up again is too much. McMurry also questioned how masks would help when many classrooms at her daughter’s school are set up without social distancing.
“We are still trying to get our kids to recover from last year. Taking them out of masks and asking to put them back in masks is not fair,” McMurry said.
Linda Teeter spoke in favor of masks in schools. She said masks are a cheap and easy way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to kids who cannot be vaccinated against it.
“This mask might help, and if it might help they should do it,” Teeter said, holding up her mask at the meeting. “Why wouldn’t you do those little things that maybe could save a kid’s life?”
