Mask optional rally in Redondo, during school board meeting
by Meghan Jacob
On the day the Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued guidelines recommending masks for all children in public schools this fall, South Bay parents from Let Them Breathe rallied outside of the Redondo Beach Unified School District office, on Inglewood Avenue, during Tuesday’s school board meeting. Let them Breathe members contend masks wearing in schools should be optional.
Let Them Breathe is organizing statewide rallies at school board meetings, in support of“mask choice resolutions.” The group is also filing a lawsuit against the State of California, challenging the state’s facial covering guidance for K-12 schools.
Let Them Breathe founder Sharon McKeeman at a rally in Redondo on Tuesday. Photo by Meghan Jacob
“As parents, we’re seeing our kids suffering behind their masks — they’re in a mental health crisis,” said founder Sharon McKeeman, of San Diego. “Due to the masking, we’re seeing more anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and even suicide within our youth, and we’re fighting to stop that. We want to allow students to share their smiles, breathe freely, and get back to life as normal.”
Speakers at the event contended masks negatively affect students’ abilities to learn while in school.
“As a parent who was at the forefront of the school reopening movement, once they were reopened, it was apparent that our children were still not able to engage in an effective learning environment because of the facial covering mandates,” organizer Farah Kreutz said. “Now that we’ve been advocating to the state and to our local school boards about this and no one has been listening to us, it just seems that taking legal action is our last resort.”
California gubernatorial candidate Sam Gallucci told ralliers, “Individual freedoms are for everyone, including students.” Photo by Meghan Jacobs
California gubernatorial candidate Sam Gallucci told ralliers, “Individual freedoms are for everyone, including students.”
“I don’t believe our kids should be mandated, or forced to do anything, and that includes wearing a mask,” Gallucci said. “Our youth need to breathe, and parents should have the choice to make that choice for their kids.”
Anti mask protester at Tuesday night’s Redondo Beach school board meeting. Photo by Meghan Jacobs
“We know there are some people who will choose to keep their masks on, and that’s fine,” McKeeman said. “We’re all about choice, but for those that are suffering, and those who are not able to engage in education, they also need to have that choice.” ER