Outrage as unmasked Collinsville High School students are segregated, denied in-person learning
After a temporary restraining order preventing school districts from mandating masks was issued in February, several students arrived at Collinsville High School, Illinois without wearing masks. However, the maskless students were told that in-person learning wouldn't be allowed and that they had to separate themselves from other students.
"Students who showed up to school and refused to wear a mask could choose to go home (policy for violating dress code) or remain at school in an alternate setting to do their school work," Collinsville Community Unit School District 10's spokesperson told Fox News. On the first day, two students were segregated from everyone else in the school library, but the number was 14 by Tuesday, 78 by Wednesday, 49 by Thursday, and 51 by Friday. The school then chose to move the maskless students to an auditorium.
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"It was really hard," Sophie Brissenden, a senior at Collinsville High, told KMOV4. She revealed that she stopped wearing masks after the ruling to approve a temporary restraining order at the beginning of February. "I was really excited for my high school experience," added Hannah Niemeier, a freshman at the school. She said she was thrilled to have an in-person classroom experience, something she didn't have in parts of seventh and eighth grade.
"My grades dropped really bad. I don't want to have a battle with anybody at the school board. I just want my chance to choose what's best for me and anybody else that agrees with me," added Hannah Jones, a sophomore at Collinsville High. The students claimed that masks had been in the way of uninterrupted learning. "It's been tough. I just want things to be normal. I mean, I'm tired of wearing a mask. It gets annoying at times, not being able to see your friends' faces or your teachers' faces," said Koen Kassly, a sophomore. He said his grades started slipping due to virtual learning and other Covid mitigations.
"They pulled us all into the auditorium that day. We're not learning, we just sit there on our Chromebooks. I got an assignment today and it just says do this," said Brissenden, revealing that they've been put in the high school's auditorium for a week, without much guidance. "I have no idea what we're doing in class or like I'll get this note sheet that I'm supposed to fill out with the teachers, but I can't fill it out since I can't join a Google meet," Niemeier explained.
The students claimed they were bullied by other students and showed messages with statements like "kill yourself", "hope you get COVID and die" and "I wish death on your whole family." Niemeier said, "I have never thought to react like that to someone who has a different opinion than me, it just upset me." Kassly added, "You'd think everyone would be civil enough to just respect each other's opinions, but there are people who will go out of their way to tell you you're stupid."
"CHS administrators were made aware of comments posted on a student's parents' social media that made the student's family uncomfortable. The principal and other staff worked with the student AND parents to address the situation," a spokesperson for the school said.
The Collinsville School Board held a meeting on Monday, and multiple people from both sides were there to make a case, some in favor of masks and some against. "The only precaution we have at our disposal is masks. My mask protects you, your masks protect me," a parent said.