VIDEO: State school board meeting cut short after maskless parents crowd meeting room
BATON ROUGE - A meeting where the state board that governs schools was set to discuss masking requirements on campuses was cut short Wednesday after a crowd of maskless parents refused to leave the council chambers.
The crowd was gathered inside the meeting room of Louisiana's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, where board members gathered around 9 a.m. Wednesday to discuss whether they authority to regulate face coverings in schools.
Packed house at this morning’s BESE meeting as the hot topic of masks in schools will soon be discussed.
— Dana DiPiazza (@danawbrz) August 18, 2021
Several school-aged, unmasked children are in the audience as well.@WBRZ pic.twitter.com/Ck98WQeoHC
Board members explained to the audience that while they were discussing what power the board had to regulate masks in schools, the current statewide mask mandate applied to state buildings and that attendees must wear face coverings for the meeting to proceed. Those who refused were asked to move to an overflow room.
The board eventually voted 8-2 to adjourn the meeting early, citing the crowd of people who refused to wear masks despite the repeated requests.
BESE calls to adjourn meeting due to audience refusing to comply with the Governors mask mandate @WBRZ pic.twitter.com/7y4flb514b
— Tristen Land (@TristenLandTV) August 18, 2021Trending News
Among the crowd was controversial pastor Tony Spell, who helped lead multiple chants of "no more masks." Spell was arrested last year after he repeatedly refused to obey the state's state-at-home order during the early days of the pandemic by holding services at his church in Central.
Check here to see video of chants erupting during the meeting
Governor John Bel Edwards reimposed Louisiana's mask mandate earlier this month, saying at the time that the requirement also applies to public schools.