Maille

UNION COUNTY — An open letter from the Oregon School Boards Association firmly telling the 1,400 school board members across the state to uphold their oaths of office and follow all laws, even those they disagree with, does not appear to be raising hackles locally.

At least not among school board members.

Robin Maille, chair of the La Grande School Board, spoke favorably of how the message in the Sept. 10 letter was conveyed.

“I liked how it was worded. It gets right to the point. I’m very supportive of it,” she said.

The letter — signed by OSBA Executive Director Jim Green, President Maureen Wolf and Sami Al-Abdrabbuh, of the Oregon School Boards Members of Color Caucus — targets school boards across the state who have directed school district employees to defy mask mandates meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Ken Patterson, a member of the Imbler School Board, believes that most school board members are already committed to following state mandates the letter references, even if they do not agree with them.

“School boards have been put in a tough spot. They are getting mandates from the state level, which are contrary to the personal beliefs of some school board members,” he said.

Patterson said it would be irresponsible for a board to encourage school district employees to defy these mandates. He said doing so would put a school district’s liability insurance at risk and increase the likelihood of facing lawsuits. Defying mandates, such as mask wearing, would also put educators in danger of losing their teaching licenses.

“School boards are in a no-win situation,” Patterson said.

He is not surprised that Brown’s mask mandate has not been well received.

“At best, mandates are never popular,” Patterson said.

He hopes that the mandates will help make it possible for the Imbler School District to continue offering in-person instruction rather than distance education.

“We are doing everything possible to keep our school doors open. We will do whatever we can to make that happen. We do not want to put in-person education at risk,” Patterson said.

La Grande School Board member Joe Justice agrees that it is important to follow the state’s rules.

“Sometimes we may not agree with something but we need to protect our districts from liability,” he said.

Justice, like Patterson, said he wants to do everything possible to keep schools open.

“I want kids in classrooms with teachers,” he said.

Justice said a point that is often overlooked is that the state, if rules are followed, is making it easier for schools to stay open this school year because contact tracing regulations are less stringent.

“There are less situations now in which contact tracing will be done, if rules are followed,” he said.

Contact tracing involves having public health workers and school officials talking to people with COVID-19 to learn about all the people they were physically close to while they were potentially able to spread the disease. This can result in many people being quarantined.

Merle Comfort, a member of the La Grande School Board and the InterMountain Education Service District Board, views the OSBA’s letter as a reminder that school boards have no choice but to follow state rules.

“We are mandated to follow them whether or not we agree with them,” he said.

Comfort also said it is important to follow state rules to set a good example for young people.

Maille said her favorite portion of the OSBA letter is its final two sentences that read, “Our actions should be centered on positive outcomes for students. Creating even bigger divisions in our schools and communities does not serve that end. We call on Oregon’s more than 1,400 school board members to carefully weigh the consequences of your actions, to heed your oaths, and to lead by example. Our children deserve nothing less.’’

The importance of keeping the focus on children, Maille said, should never be forgotten.

“This is what it is all about,” she said.