Opposing mask protests take place at Career Tech

WASILLA — Opposing protests regarding the Mat-Su Borough School District’s mitigation strategy requiring masks for students at schools with medium risk of spread of COVID-19 were staged at Career Tech High School on Tuesday. The small protest opposing mask usage marched from the CTHS parking lot to the front of the Teeland Middle School driveway just down the street.

“I feel like we shouldn’t be mandating this because I feel it’s my body, my choice, and I feel like the whole message is that we really just let people choose for themselves instead of stripping everyone of their own personal decision,” said CTHS senior Leah Beer.

Two MSBSD schools have closed due to the spread of COVID-19, and 181 cases have been tracked among students and staff over the last week. As the group of anti-mask protestors circled their vehicles in the CTHS parking lot, a group of pro-mask students organized along the sidewalk in front of CTHS.

“I personally think that our mitigation policy is not strict enough. Instead of going off the science and statistics we went with a survey and popular opinion,” said Glenda Root. “Wasilla is the least vaccinated part in Alaska, at least one of them, and yet we are one of the only boroughs that don’t require masks in all our schools. We’ve had 11 cases in three days of being open in our school, and I feel like wearing a mask would protect a lot of the immune compromised people we have at home.”

Of the eight people who attended the pro-mask protest, all eight were CTHS students. Of the 23 people that stood along the entryways to TMS protesting the mask requirement in schools, nine were school aged children. Many honked and waved at the anti-mask protest as they passed the entrance to Teeland, but many others shook their heads and did not offer visible agreement. The all-student group who protested in favor of masks saw little interaction from adults dropping their children off at school, save for a spare ‘thumbs up’ offer by some who drove by.

The MSBSD reported 51 new cases of COVID-19 among staff and students on Monday. There are currently two schools closed to in-person instruction due to widespread transmission and eight schools in the medium risk category where masks may be required. Another 37 schools are in the low risk category where masks are not required.

“I feel like it’s a bunch of bullcrap, because the mitigation strategies don’t work and if they do work then why are we even wearing masks in the first place,” said Beer. “I feel like we’re standing up for our own beliefs and not letting those around us try and dictate what we can and can’t do.”

Principal Jason Ross and assistant principal Michael Looney stood at the entryway with MSBSD safety staff. The protests, began just after 7 a.m., which allowed for most of the students to return to class at 7:50. The MSBSD School Board will hold a meeting on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m in Palmer.