Demonstrators gather outside the Union School District athletic building prior to the Union School Board meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. Those in attendance held signs in support of optional mask usage.

UNION — Union School Board members had their backs against the wall during the board’s monthly meeting.

Faced with government mask mandates that yield potential fines to the district and a group of parents against the mandate, there was little room for compromise.

The board met for its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 11, to adopt its Ready Schools, Safe Learners Plan for the 2021-22 school year. Attended by parents and community members against the recent statewide mask mandates, the meeting provided a give-and-take between two groups both in support of what they believe is best for kids in the school district.

“I think this year has been a lot for all of us,” Union School District Superintendent Carter Wells told the crowd.

That sentiment rang true in the Union School District athletic facility, as approximately 50 people attended the meeting in favor of making masks optional. The audience expressed a desire to return to normal, while the board weighed the repercussions and safety risks.

During the work session prior to the regular meeting, board member Dennis Falk announced his resignation amid the mask controversy and exited the building. He encouraged a strike against the government mandates as he walked out.

Demonstrators met outside before the meeting and raised their concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting.

“We’re hurting our kids in a way that will be hard to recover from,” said one concerned citizen.

Just when the pandemic seemed to be going away, a spike in COVID-19 cases has brought back mask mandates and protocols across the state. In accordance with Gov. Kate Brown’s directive mandating mask usage for students this fall, the Union School Board adopted its safety plan and will require masks in indoor settings.

The board members attempted to level with the audience, noting the potential fines and loss of teaching licenses are obstacles that need to be avoided. Failure to implement the mask mandate can result in a $500 fine per student and teachers can lose their license for lack of enforcing the rule. School board member Jocelyn Jones stated that students in classrooms with masks on is a better alternative to online schooling.

“I truly believe that the best place for kids is in the classroom,” she said.

About 10 people in attendance spoke during the meeting, explaining various reasons they were opposed to the mask mandates. Blake Bars, a member of the Union County Freedom Alliance who organized the demonstration, questioned the governor’s authority to pass down these mandates and voiced what he viewed as constitutional violations.

Another parent in attendance stated that parents know what is best for their children, not the government.

A brief back-and-forth between school board officials and audience members outside of the public comment period created a tense moment in the meeting. Several in the audience walked out as board member Macey Clark attempted to calm the situation.

Despite the opposition from those in attendance, the Union School Board voted unanimously to adopt the plan.

School board meetings in La Grande on Aug. 4 and in Imbler Aug. 12 also drew protests against the mask mandate.