Kenai Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce has seen enough. On Facebook, he issued a strong suggestion to the Kenai Borough superintendent of schools: End the mask mandates for children in the public schools.
“Kids are being forced to wear masks all day in schools in the Kenai Penisula Borough, and I do not think that is right. I am proud that the Kenai Penisula Borough has some of the lowest COVID numbers in Alaska; I credit the People for that. I did no mandates concerning your health cause I am a firm believer in your right to decide your health; it’s none of my business. I have been the Mayor who chooses personal liberty and freedoms over government overreach,” Pierce wrote.
Pierce acknowledged he has no authority to remove the mask mandate from children in schools, but he showed he is willing to at least use the pulpit of borough mayor:
“There is no more emergency declaration at the state level, we have access to the vaccine, and there is no need to force kids to wear a mask during school, at recess, in the gym, or at school sporting events. I hope that the new Superintendent and I can find some common ground there. I am hopeful for his leadership on this issue, as this is a genuine concern many parents have. The beauty of this is that if you still feel strongly about the mask, you can choose to wear a mask still if you would like but let us not force a mask on kids.”
The new superintendent of schools, Clayton Holland, will replace current Superintendent John O’Brien on July 1.
