Freeport Area superintendent says he never really meant CYS may be called to help enforce the state's mask mandate

Freeport Area School District Superintendent Ian Magness has apologized for what multiple parents said was a threat to call the Office of Children, Youth and Families if a student repeatedly refuses to wear a mask and a parent also does not comply with the recent state mandate.

“A statement I made as a passing comment during a private (faculty) meeting reviewing a progression of options on how things could possibly be handled related to refusals to follow the order, which we are obligated by law as a district to enforce, were unfortunately taken so far out of context, and I apologize for that,” Magness said via email to the Tribune-Review following a school board meeting Thursday night.

“We have not, nor do we intend to, or would we burden our colleagues at Children and Youth Services with a singular issue such as this. We don’t burden an already overburdened agency full of folks doing right by children. When we call them, and sometimes we unfortunately have to, they know it’s due to our legitimate concern.”

The superintendent said student safety is always the top priority, and the district works with families on a case-by-case basis to resolve any problems.

“Anyone who takes two seconds to know me knows that I exist for kids,” Magness wrote. “The point I was attempting to make is that this unfortunately is not about kids and that kids should not be punished; rather, this is a debate among adults, and kids are unfortunately in the middle. I’m proud of our kids and their maturity and fortitude — we all can take a lesson from them. Watch these kids. They’ll show us all how to comport ourselves.”

Parents took Magness to task at two school board meetings this month for his comments.

“CYS is a system used to protect children from neglect and abuse,” Sylvia Maxwell said Thursday. “This felt like an abuse of power. This statement used for the matter of mandating masks is immoral, insensitive and I’m horrified that you think this is a term you can use lightly. … Policing masks are not a qualified reason (to call CYS).”

Maxwell said she never felt uncomfortable about sending her children to school until now.

Parent Jackie Gaughan attempted to address the CYS statement but was redirected by board President Dan Lucovich, who said Gaughan had signed up to talk about masks and not superintendent comments.

“We know what his statement was,” Lucovich said.

Gaughan went on to talk about how her grandparents raised foster children for decades and circled back to the mask issue.

“For anybody up there to say a child in this district is abused or neglected because their parents find it unhealthy for them to wear a mask is ludicrous,” Gaughan said. “Completely unacceptable to take advantage of an already broken system within this county by using tyrannical tactics and intimidation does not sit well with me.”

Gaughan asked for the board to start the process of removing Magness as top administrator and to find a new superintendent.

Lucovich denied that request. He encouraged families to contact the governor and their state representatives if they want to have the mask mandate changed.

Parent Andrew Vento said he is “completely against the ‘scamdemic’ and everything that our United States government has done to fool everybody.”

He said his 7-year-old daughter has no idea how to properly socialize as a result of having to wear masks and go through virtual learning.

“I don’t see enough parents standing up to go against how ridiculous everything is at all,” Vento said.

The district approved its health and safety plan with masks optional in mid-August.

Parents were able to exercise that option at the start of school Aug. 26.

However, that all changed Sept. 7 when a mask mandate for K-12 schools from Gov. Tom Wolf and the state Health Department took effect.

Parents Thursday night called for a roll call vote from the board to adjust its plan since they claimed masks still are optional.

No one on the board asked for such a vote.

“Since the order supersedes a local health and safety plan, there is no need at this time for any updates to it,” Magness said.

Thursday night’s board meeting was moved from the high school to the middle school auditorium.

Magness said the meeting venue was changed to allow attendees more room for social distancing.

District officials also wore masks and were spaced farther apart than at the workshop meeting this month before the Sept. 7 mask mandate for K-12 schools.

“We’re trying to model the guidance and standards that we were given,” Magness said. “We understood that there were more people likely going to come (to the meeting). We wanted to accommodate that and also accommodate people’s desires to distance and be safe while here.”