Rowdy North Allegheny school board meeting ends abruptly when audience members refuse to don masks

The North Allegheny’s school board meeting was abruptly cut short on Wednesday evening after a number of residents in attendance refused to wear masks.

Arguments between parents for and against the mask mandate began even before the meeting started, according to Tribune-Review news partners WPXI-TV.

The district is under a temporary federal restraining order requiring all staff and students to wear masks indoors as the result of a lawsuit filed by a group of parents who opposed the board’s decision to make mask optional.

Students returned to full, in-person instruction on Monday morning with an option to wear masks.

But on Monday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Marilyn Horan issued a ruling that the school board’s decision in mid-August to make masks optional violated due process rules, according to attorney Alexander Saksen, who represented the parents who filed suit.

During the Aug. 18 board meeting, school directors voted 6-3 to go back to letting parents decide if their kids should wear masks.

The North Allegheny School Board told parents that because of the temporary restraining order, everybody must wear a mask, or the meeting is over. One parent yelled her body her choice. @WPXI pic.twitter.com/JTumUP6KHO

— Ryan Houston WPXI (@WPXIRyanHouston) August 26, 2021

Saksen argued that the board failed to provide any data to support implementing less-strict policies, which it needed to do given what it had said when it approved the safety plan at its June 23 meeting.

Wednesday’s meeting was moved to the high school auditorium because a large crowd was anticipated.

During the meeting school directors went into executive session for private discussions.

When they emerged, the people attending were informed that the meeting would not continue until everyone put a mask on.

“We are under a temporary restraining order that requires us, when we are inside North Allegheny properties, to wear a mask,” school Director Scott Russell told the audience. “Therefore, we cannot continue until everyone is wearing a mask.”

Audience members were give five minutes to put on a mask, which were available at the back of the auditorium.

The announcement was meet by both boos and cheers.

When people in attendance failed to comply with the mask order, the meeting was adjourned.

“Have a good night, we’ll see you in September,” said board President Andrew Chomos.

The board is scheduled to meet next on Sept. 22.