Minutes 01-18-2022 Virtual Business Meeting

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2 Supreme Court. She said the school board should also provide leadership and define high academic standards for students' success. She said the school board's priority has been to replace and supersede parents' rights in a number of areas including health, risk management, and exposure to radical ideologies. She stated concern over a novel titled "Water for Chocolate" that was assigned as a literature assignment in a sophomore English class at Orange High School. She said the novel has been banned at schools in a number of states but was chosen to teach magical realism and described it as the teacher's favorite book. She said sexual fantasy is the experience through the whole book, and the teacher assigned it as a classroom read with students and teacher taking turns reading it out loud. She said her son and other classmates came home and reported feeling uncomfortable in English class because of this book. She said she obtained her own copy of the book to review it and is unable to read excerpts of it here or at a school board meeting due to the rules of public comment. She said the students in this class are receiving affirmation by an education authority that the degraded actions and ideas written in the book are worth their time thinking about and testing on. The public commenter's time expired at this point. Jacqueline Barker addressed the Board. She said something needs to be done about the school mask mandate. She said her children are wearing masks 7 hours a day because the schools require it, in part due to Orange County's mask mandate. She said one school has silent 15-minute lunch, another allows talking during a 45-minute lunch, while some require masks outdoors and others don't. She said there are inconsistencies and contradictions amongst the school. She said her children are suffering health issues from wearing masks so long including an obstructed nasal airways, allergies, nosebleeds, and headaches. She said she is unable to send her children to school when they have allergies because they would be unable to breathe and are not allowed to come to school with any symptoms. She said that despite her child's medical provider attributing a new diagnosis to wearing masks, the school still requires it with no break. She said there are many parents speaking up about the harm masks are doing to children, and only time will tell the long- term effects. She asked the Board to consider revoking the mask mandate and leave the choice up to individuals. She said despite masking and vaccines infections are at an all-time high. She said that children rarely die from COVID and it's rare for hospitalizations in children. She said that many in Orange County are concerned with the mask mandates, especially for children in schools, and encouraged the Board to end requirements. The public commenter's time expired at this point. Chair Price noted that both commenters spoke on items related to the school boards, so additional coordination would need to take place to address their concerns. Chair Price announced to the Board that they should be receiving wall calendars from the Eno River Association and thanked them for all they do to protect that environment. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members Commissioner Greene wished everyone a happy new year and noted she has no announcements.