BOARDMAN, Ohio - In what they're calling the 'Boardman COVID-19 Containment Coalition,' a group of Boardman parents made their way to Monday's school board meeting to show support of the COVID-19 precautions the district is taking.

"We have to come together and do something," said Gary Hassay, a Boardman dad and group facilitator. "Even if it's just in our community, just to let people know that there are other people who feel differently about mask mandates. We feel masks work, we follow the science, take reasonable precautions and also act like adults."

"Every parent at Boardman is not agreeing with the opposition to the mask mandate," said Debbie Lipinsky, a Boardman mom. "The majority of parents in Boardman support protecting our children."

But, it was a divided crowd at Monday's school board meeting. As mask supporters voiced their appreciation to the school board for the COVID-19 decisions they've made, those opposing the mask mandate were quick to disagree.

"I don't feel like that's a true reputation of what Boardman's about," Lipinsky said about those opposing the mask mandate. 

"The vitriol and the anger is not what we want our kids to do and so we can't do that either," Hassay added. "We need to get back to being a community that cares about each other."

The majority of those speaking in the meeting were those in support of the district's safety protocols.

"You're going to have to back up your claims and you're going to have to argue why putting on a three inch piece of cloth is this terrible thing," Hassay said about those opposing the mask mandate. "When everything we now know about the virus says this helps."

The pro-mask group was organized just this past weekend and already has hundreds of members online.