PROVO, UTAH (AP) — School district officials in northern Utah have said a public meeting in American Fork was disrupted by protesters who characterized the use of masks and facial coverings in schools as “child abuse.”
Alpine School District Superintendent Assistant Kimberly Bird said the protesters were welcomed to participate in the public board meeting Tuesday, but many refused to wear masks inside school office buildings, The Daily Herald reported Wednesday.
Stephenson said the disturbance happened about an hour into the meeting. Board President Scott Carlson then called a session closed to the public before resuming the regular meeting.
“The comments of abusing children were really quite hurtful and the opposite of what our mission is as Alpine School District, (which is) to help students in any way we can,” Stephenson said. “The board is following the mandate that has been put out statewide from the government officials.”
Stephenson said all the comments made about masks during previous meetings were peaceful, but police were called to Tuesday’s meeting to prevent confrontations after some protesters were refused entry.
