Dayton School Board meeting recessed then postponed over mask mandate

DAYTON–The Dayton School Board met for the regular meeting on September 15 in the High School Auditorium, but after a lengthy public comment made by School Board candidate Aneesha Dieu, Chairman David Bailey asked her and Columbia County resident Kraig Horlacher, who were not wearing the required masks, to mask up.

Both refused and Bailey proceeded to ask them to leave. They refused and Bailey chose to recess the meeting for ten minutes to give them time to comply. He also asked everyone present, including staff and Board members, to leave the Auditorium.

School Board members Jeff McCowen and Justin Jaech engaged Dieu about the mask and vaccine mandates, though Jaech left the area as requested by Bailey after several minutes. McCowen stayed behind and continued the discussion with Dieu and Horlacher even after Bailey recessed and postponed the meeting until a later date when it will be held remotely via Zoom.

In part, Dieu's comment was in regards to not receiving a reply to an email she sent one month prior to each of the Board members and Superintendent Guy Strot. Some Board members claimed they never received or never saw the email. Bailey replied that the public needs to understand the proper chain of command when seeking a response. Community member Pearl Dennis, who has attended several recent Board meetings, said that it shouldn't be the public's responsibility to know who to address and how when trying to communicate with the Board, and they should pass it on or there should at least be some kind of response.

In the email sent by Dieu, she addressed the mask and vaccine mandates and the response she hoped to see from the Board. "Whether you believe masks work or not, whether you believe vaccines work and are safe or are fearfully against the inflictions they have posed on so many, whether you believe we are in a true pandemic or are concerned by the conflicting numbers and data provided making you skeptical, YOU as the governing body of Dayton School District and the safe keepers of our youths futures, YOU have been elected by the community that has expressed their needs in which you are obligated to, YOU must look at the big picture, that many have been so preoccupied to see. We are headed towards desolate, immoral, unjust times that you will not be able to turn back from if you don't take action now."

Strot responded to her comment to state he supports the right to personal choice and said, "I did send a letter to all our reps and expressed my opinion on the matter, but we as a school district are going to follow the mandates."

"And I assure you," stated Bailey, "all School Board members are looking out for the best interest of this school. We know what our jobs are, and we know certain things can be done at the local level, but most of the things people are railing against are at the State level."

Dieu disagreed, claiming the State law allows Boards to make decisions locally. She suggested there are alternative ways of doing things to work around the mandates. One was that school funding could be secured by grants.

Another comment Dieu made was asking the Board to be more transparent by providing the board meeting packets to the public (except confidential information) and also by allowing the in-person meetings to be available by Zoom for those who can't attend.

A parent of two in the District, Jeremy Trump also made a heartfelt comment about the District losing their basketball coaches and his kids losing class and team mates to other districts, possibly in part because of the sports combine. But his comment wasn't addressed because at the time he spoke, Bailey interjected to request the masks be worn, which led to the end of the meeting.

After most left the meeting area, Bailey reiterated: "I am asking you to leave the room," he stated. "If you refuse, you'll be removed."

McCowen and Dieu continued to discuss the mandates while others waited in the hall, this reporter observed.

Since the school board meeting, Strot replied by email to Dieu, affirming that the packets will be made more available to the public, and he is recommending to the Board that for now meetings would be held only by Zoom and to look at adding a Zoom option once in-person meetings resume.

Also, the decision has been made the remaining agenda items will be presented and discussed at the next regular meeting on October 6 by Zoom.