BOARDMAN, Ohio - Some parents are speaking out against Boardman Local Schools upgraded mask policy which makes it mandatory for all students and staff to wear a face covering in the classroom for the first 20 days of school.

The school district held a special meeting tonight for parents on both sides of the issue to weigh in. The superintendent says the goal is to keep school doors open and avoid quarantines.

The majority of parents here were against mask mandates saying why should their kids have to wear masks that don't work. They cited the print on mask boxes that state they don't prevent COVID. Parent choice advocates say the masks cause anxiety, depression, isolation, and contribute to speech impediments.

One after another parent for parent choice emphasized  COVID-19 is not deadly for healthy children.

They cite the CDC numbers of 313 deaths of children ages 5 to 18 in our country from January 2020 to August 2021. That's more than a year and a half.

"The CDC says children ages 0 to 17 have a 99.99 percent survival rate if they contract the virus," said Dwight McMurry.

"There is no threat of COVID we need to protect our kids from. Statistically speaking the numbers don't lie," added Brandon Berg. He broke down as he told how he lost several relatives to the virus, but emphasized even for older adults the odds of surviving are around 95 percent.

But other parents including a respiratory therapist who talked about caring for people who are dying from COVID-19 applaud the superintendent and school boards mask mandate.

"One thing is indisputable, kids spread germs, if you feel you are not at risk or your kids, please consider your family members, neighbors, and friends that are. Please consider your health care workers who are very nearly overwhelmed by the COVID that is already spreading throughout the community.

Kim Bensen added, "There are many Spartan families that are thankful and believe their children are safer learning in this environment because of the masks."

A retired Boardman principal Cynthia Fernback described hundreds of students, and dozens of teachers out on quarantine when the school district did not have a mask mandate.

"Last year we all wore masks. It wasn't a big deal. Students it turns out just want to be in school. There were students who broke down crying when they learned they had to be quarantined at home and away from school and thier friends. Then we had to call parents who often screamed and yelled and some also even cried," added Fernback.

Superintendent Timothy Saxton tells WFMJ the goal is to keep students in school five days a week full time for the entire school year. Parents have told us this is important to them. We learned most students learn better in class.

Saxton said, "We believe it's important to hear from our parents and hear their views. We will reevaluate the mask mandate after 20 days. We will consider what the state and local health departments say about community spread of COVID. We will also consider the CDC and American Pediatric Association and their recommemdations.

In Wadsworth the school district began with parent choice and without a mask mandate. However after an outbreak of COVID that resulted on of two-thirds of Franklin Elementary School students quarantined, the district has mandated mask wearing starting Wednesday morning.