Rock Ridge Votes in Favor of Mask Mandate

Tensions rose in Virginia tonight at the Rock Ridge School Board meeting. Community members had the opportunity to speak about the proposed mask mandate.

School Board Director Murray Anderson supported the proposition. "This year, we have the kids in school, and kids are starting to get sick." said Anderson. "When is it going to happen? When is it going to happen that they may get sick and we’ll have to close again and go to distance learning?"

Mother of two Kirsten Klang believes that her seven year old son was negatively impacted by having to wear a mask last year and felt less like himself. Additionally, Klang does not think that last year’s mandate helped keep sickness away.

"He was sick four times somehow," Klang said. "Masked, social distanced, with all the hand sanitizer, everything that was going on."

Despite public outcry and a meeting frequently interrupted by upset community members, the Rock Ridge School Board voted 5-4 in favor of the mask mandate. Full details regarding when and how this mandate will be enforced have yet to be released.