MASON, Mich. — At a two-hour emergency meeting this afternoon, Mason Public Schools Board of Education voted 4-3 to require masks for teachers, staff, and students kindergarten through twelfth grade, regardless of vaccination status.
Many Mason community residents came together at the special meeting to share their thoughts for and against requiring masks within the district.
The school board discussed the issue for over an hour and a half, before making the final decision to require masks for the upcoming school year.
Board members for the decision related back to the science behind wearing masks and the mitigation of the spread of the disease.
Board members that were against masks, such as Treasurer Ralph Beebe, explained that the district was not being, "required to mandate masks," and that the Ingham Co. Health Department director was playing political games by not requiring this, and he was not willing to, "play that game."
Beebe, who voted against the mandate, resigned immediately after the vote. In his resignation, he stated, “I'm just done...This community is so divided. I am clearly not connected to at least half of this community and certainly some of the board members...The politics and the division in this community is ridiculous....It's simply time. It's coming between friendships, it's coming between everything and I'm done... This district has no better leader than Ron. It's time that everybody realizes that and stops the political crap. You have a great district, a great leader and a great leadership team."
Watch the entire board meeting below
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