HASD ends COVID mitigation rules

District cuts masking; will cease contact tracing after Feb. 23

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The Hollidaysburg Area School Board voted to end masking requirements effective immediately and do away with contact tracing after Feb. 23.

Those who test positive must still isolate for five days, but do not have to wear a mask when they return to school, which they may do if they are no longer showing symptoms or if symptoms are resolving. Those identified as close contacts also do not have to mask.

According to Superintendent Robert Gildea, there were 46 active cases in the district as of last Friday, with 27 additional cases this week.

While more than two dozen residents were in attendance during the board's Wednesday night meeting, just one of them spoke during the opening public comment to voice concerns over COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

Ying Li asked board members to vote to remove contact tracing policies and "all (COVID-19) measures."

"I think it's time our lives come back to normal," she said. "There's no point to force a healthy child to quarantine or wear a mask. It's a waste of time, money and energy for something that is not remotely a threat now. Most people don't get (COVID-19) and die. It is time to stop this nonsense."

Li also alleged that school officials have been forcing students to wear masks despite face coverings being optional in most circumstances.

"It seems that (COVID-19) measures give some people power and satisfaction to bully our kids," she said.

Gildea said Thursday that there is "no evidence" of any teachers forcing students to wear masks.

Board members engaged in lengthy discussion before finally voting on the matter.

Board member Carmen Bilek said current COVID-19 measures are nonsensical and that the district needs to move forward.

"The (COVID-19) tracking mechanism we use is ineffective and uses up resources in school that we don't have," Bilek said. "When people are fearful, they stop thinking rationally; that's where we are today. We have to start asking ourselves what is holding us back from making the decision to move forward. Even the CDC comes out and says masks don't work. We need to start getting back to normal. What are you afraid of? It's my opinion we should get rid of masking and contact tracing. We've been in this long enough."

Bilek moved to remove masks and contact tracing, which board member Jennifer Costanza seconded.

Solicitor Carl Beard, however, reminded board members that before they could vote on the matter, they were required to vote to amend the agenda, as the agenda didn't reflect that there would be such a vote.

Gildea said the health and safety plan was included on the agenda for discussion purposes, not for a vote.

The board then voted in favor of amending the agenda.

After agreeing to amend the agenda, Bilek moved to remove masking and contact tracing immediately, though the matter was struck down 5-4.

Bilek and board president Nicole Hartman went back and forth on the matter of contact tracing, with Hartman emphasizing her position that parents should be notified if their child is identified as a close contact.

Hartman moved to remove mitigation measures only if case numbers trended downward.

Hartman's motion was struck down 6-3.

The board then approved Manny Nichols' motion to eliminate masking immediately and get rid of contact tracing after Feb. 23, with a 6-3 vote.

Since the matter was new business, though, the board had to allow another opportunity for public comment, during which Steve Link spoke, urging board members to move on from mitigation measures.

"I think tonight is the night it should all come to an end," Link said. "There's a school 30 minutes down the road that, (since) the first day of school, they have not masked and they have not quarantined. What's the difference 30 minutes down the road? That's the obvious -- no masks, no quarantine, not on the buses, nowhere. I don't think they've lost any of their funding."

After nearly four hours, the board made its final decision to eliminate masking immediately and contact tracing after Feb. 23, on a 5-4 vote.

Voting to eliminate masking immediately and contact tracing later this month were Bilek, Nichols, Kenneth Snyder, Costanza and Hartman. Votes against were from Lonna Frye, Doug Stephens, Scott Brenneman and Ronald Sommer.

Stephens said during the meeting that for him, "it boils down to having some type of mitigation in place; that's our responsibility."

In a phone call Thursday, Gildea said administration "will make the best of directives that have been given by board."

Mirror Staff Writer Andrew Mollenauer is at 814-946-7428.