GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXII, NO. XXXVII
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
EDUCATION
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
MANDATES
Effective Immediately: Mask Choice for Paso Schools
PRJUSD Agrees to Sell 25-Yard Pool No motions made to remove and censure President Christopher Arend and Superintendent Curt Dubost By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (PRJUSD) met for a regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 22, in which board members approved Resolution 22-13, a mask choice resolution allowing students the option to wear a mask or not, regardless of vaccination status. The district is the first in SLO County to approve such a resolution. CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
Paso Robles High School student makes case for ‘mask choice’ on behalf of the student body. Contributed photo
PRJUSD is the first District in SLO County to pass a mask choice resolution By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — During the Tuesday, Feb. 22 school board meeting, Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (PRJUSD) trustees passed a mask choice resolution, effective immediately.
Starting Feb. 23, PRJUSD students have the choice to wear a mask or not, regardless of their vaccination status. Following student protests for mask choice on Feb. 15, a resolution was proposed for mask choice. Due to the large amount of public present at the meeting for the resolution, Trustee Dorian Baker requested it to be moved from Item 6 to Item 2. Baker also made it known that San Luis Obispo County Public Health Director Penny Borenstein was invited to the
meeting to educate them on the value of masking, but she declined the offer. Four options were presented to the Board. Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Gaviola presented the staff ’s recommendation, “Although we understand the disdain for masks and the desperate need to get back to normal, the staff has come to the recommendation for the protection of the district, its fiscal responsibility, and the safety of our students and staff that we should maintain
PROTEST
County-Wide Unmask Our Children Protest Community members from Parkfield to Arroyo Grande were in attendance By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@pasoroblespress.com
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — On Thursday, Feb. 17, close to 100 community members from all over San Luis Obispo County gathered for a county-wide Unmask Our Children Protest Meeting for parents and kids alike who are asking for mask-choice in the county’s schools. The event was put on by the nonpartisan group, Moms for Liberty and was held at Atascadero Lake Park. “We had people coming from Parkfield, Shandon, Paso Robles, Templeton, Atascadero, and as far as Arroyo Grande. I’m sure there are more places. Those were the ones I heard,” said Moms for Liberty District Lead, Erin Westmoreland. Local students who attend our North County schools have been protesting for mask-choice since Tuesday, Feb. 15, when 50 plus students at Paso Robles High School refused to wear masks in class. There were also mask-choice protests at Lewis
SPORTS
Middle School on Thursday, Feb. 17, and Templeton High School on Friday, Feb. 18. And both Paso Robles and Atascadero’s Unified School Districts have put mask-choice items on their agendas in their upcoming meetings. “The top tips I would give to people who want to participate [in protests] is to keep it peaceful and respectful. We don’t want to lose our message in the noise. Our message is to give us mask-choice in our schools throughout the whole county. I would also urge parents not to pick up your child if your child wants to stay at school. The school campus is where they are mandating masks and that is where our children have to reveal their smiles,” stated Westmoreland. Before the start of the protest meeting, families gathered with hand-made signs to take pictures for a video that will be posted on the Moms for Liberty SLO County website and possibly other venues as well. “I am hoping to make it more of a way to gain more supporters, so we might post it in more places,” continued Westmoreland. The current State mandate requires that students and
LOCAL NEWS
alignment with the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Education and continuing with masks until further notice.” The threat of losing insurance coverage has been repeatedly brought up when districts bring up mask choice resolutions. Trustee Frank Triggs asked staff to clarify if the District’s insurance company, Self-Insured Schools of California (SISC), has threatened to cancel the coverage. Assistant Superintendent
adults inside of school grounds are required to wear masks when indoors. However, the existing mandates will be re-evaluated on Monday, Feb. 28. James Brescia, the County Superintendent, stated, “The concerns and frustrations of our county have been regularly shared with Sacramento on my weekly calls. Please understand that the indoor mask requirement in the K-12 settings that remains in place at the present time comes from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Our local public health officer, my office, and local school boards are not at liberty to make a less restrictive local order. I anticipate we will have a change within the next few weeks.” At the Unmask Our Children Protest Meeting, attendees were reminded to keep emailing their
NEWS BRIEFS
local officials and California’s government officials. “Our intention is not to hurt our schools. Most of us love the school we are at. We have been at all the board meetings county-wide all year long asking for them to give us mask choice. With other countries and states dropping mask mandates, it is now California’s turn. We are tired of sending our children to school, to a place where they focus more on the masks rather than our children’s education. Let’s get back to learning without hindering the air they breathe,” added Westmoreland. On Thursday, Feb. 24, at 5:30 p.m., students, teachers, and parents will be protesting near the District Office to unmask Templeton. This is a developing story that will be updated when new information is available.
SENIOR LIVING
CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Ride-Along with Paso Robles Police All citizens can sign up for a ride-along to see a typical day for a PRPD officer
Protesters for Mask-Choice at Templeton High School. Contributed photo
Brad Pawlowski said, “At this point, SISC has not sent a letter saying that they will remove our insurance. They are cautioning us that if we make this decision and move forward with this, we do increase our potential liability.” Triggs said, “Whatever we do tonight, we need to unmask our children.” Prior to public comment, Trustees presented their thoughts on the resolution. Trustee Nathan Williams wore a mask representing those who choose to keep wearing masks, “I don’t wear this mask in defiance. I don’t wear this mask because my family and I believe that masks are useful. It’s a choice, but it is also representation of many voices out there. We received a lot of emails from students and from parents on both sides of the issue. And it is not majority one way or the other.” Trustee Baker was in favor of passing the resolutions, “This catastrophe is man-made and due entirely to the failing of adults...this is what Americans do. We debate, we challenge bad laws and edicts, and we protect the most vulnerable.”
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — Recently, Paso Robles Press took a ride-along with the Paso Robles Police Department (PRPD) and discovered what a typical day looks like for one of our police officers. Ride-alongs give citizens a chance to ride in the passenger seat with an experienced officer during their patrol shift. Anything can happen during a routine patrol shift, and as our officer said, each day is different. Prepare for a routine patrol to emergency responses and anything in between. Our ride started fairly typical, and our officer, who wished to remain nameless, began by explaining the inner workings of the patrol car. When on a ride-along, you can ask your officer questions about the department, how dispatch works, laws, almost anything
pertaining to law enforcement in our city. It wasn’t long into our ride when a car was stolen from a nearby town and on 46 West to make their escape. We proceeded to join other patrol vehicles, sheriff vehicles, and CHP on the highway as a precautionary backup. However, the suspect went beyond PRPD jurisdiction, leaving CHP to continue the pursuit. We then went back to patrolling the streets of Paso Robles. Our officer explained how law enforcement has changed throughout recent years. No longer is an officer just an enforcer of the law. Often law enforcement in Paso Robles interacts with people suffering from mental health. Other times they act as mediators between domestic violence calls, something our officer mentioned is common during day patrols. A woman was slumped over on a bus stop bench on Spring Street during our patrol. Our officer stopped and checked on CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
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