A California elementary school principal took flak this week for calling the police on a 4-year-old child for not wearing a mask to school.
The incident occurred on Thursday at Theuerkauf Elementary School in Mountain View when the principal refused to allow the boy to enter the school because he wasn’t wearing a mask, KGO-TV reported.
A video recorded by the father of the child shows the principal telling him, “I welcome him here and I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again — I want him here, but it is our district’s policy that students have to wear a mask.”
Another video shows the little boy being escorted out of the school with a piece of paper that he hands to his father. He asks, “Daddy, what does it say?”
A police officer was also called to make sure the 4-year-old was barred from entering the school.
Principal for @mvwschools called police on a four-year old for not wearing a mask.
The officer was cordial and understanding, but the child could not stay. The child has missed school most of this week.
There is no state or county school mask mandate where this school resides. pic.twitter.com/etfXFR11sJ
— Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) August 18, 2022
It probably isn’t much of a surprise that this sort of lunacy continues to occur in California.
The boy’s father, identified only as “Shawn,” told KGO that he thinks it’s time to get past the COVID panic.
“I just think it’s time to move forward. The kids need to see faces, they need to see people smiling, they need to have a brighter outlook on the future in general,” he said.
Shawn added that his son, who isn’t even old enough to read, may have developmental issues and is unable to keep a mask on his face at all times. He said the boy doesn’t understand why he isn’t allowed to go to school.
“I’m watching my son … go to school, get turned away with tears in his eyes,” Shawn said. “He doesn’t know what’s going on. He’s visibly upset … by getting turned away and rejected.”
Shawn’s attorney also said Theuerkauf Elementary broke the law because schools are only allowed to send children home for public health reasons if they are sick.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Mountain View Whisman School District seemingly tried to cover its tracks by making a sudden change to its masking policy.
At a school board meeting on Thursday night, officials suddenly decided that masks are optional.
The board sent out an email to schools to relay the “good news,” according to the group Reopen California Schools.
“The good news is that as of this afternoon, our local COVID transmission rates have dropped below the ‘high’ category as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” the email read. “Reaching this threshold means our masking protocol can change.
“Starting tomorrow, Aug. 19, masking is recommended but is not required for students and staff.”
The boy was in class on Friday, according to Fox News.
Major Update: After this incident went viral, the school found a reason to quickly lift their mask mandate.
However, the district states they “may reinstate mandatory indoor masking” if their county moves back into the CDC’s high tier. pic.twitter.com/FgXGBQOz5e
— Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) August 19, 2022
We are now two and a half years from the beginning of the pandemic, and know how limited masks are as a means of controlling it. Yet these educators continue to lord their power over kids and parents alike.
Where do elementary school principals get the power to deny children an education because they won’t wear a mask that nearly every serious study says is of questionable value?
Good on this parent for refusing to knuckle under to these outrageous demands.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
